


Devil's Spawn

by praisemadamespellman



Series: Madame Spellman Canon [2]
Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018), Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018) RPF, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina - Sarah Rees Brennan
Genre: Canon LGBTQ Character, Canon LGBTQ Female Character, F/F, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Female Character, LGBTQ Themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:15:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 27,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26304757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/praisemadamespellman/pseuds/praisemadamespellman
Summary: Lilith is pregnant with Lucifer's devil spawn. Zelda Spellman has welcomed the Queen of Hell into home, creating a beautiful room for her (which she never sleeps in) and committing to being her midwife.... and maybe more?Story about Lilith's pregnancy with Lucifer's spawn.This is a continuation from Lilith's story - לִילִית - you don't have to read that fanfic to enjoy this one but there are more details about how the witches got to this point in that story.
Relationships: Zelda Spellman/Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith
Series: Madame Spellman Canon [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1923331
Comments: 138
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

### First Trimester

Lilith rolled out of bed and started running as soon as her feet hit the floor. In one fluid move, she sank to her knees and hung her head over the toilet, releasing her stomach’s contents into its porcelain belly. Bringing one arm up to rest her forehead against it, she closed her eyes so she didn’t have to stare down into the bowl full of vomit and waited for the heaving to stop. She groaned softly as an ice cold cloth was laid across her neck and a hand gathered her hair back away from her face. Leaning back, she flushed the toilet and looked over her shoulder at the High Priestess of the Church of Lilith.

“Maybe I should start sleeping in my own room?” Standing gingerly, her hand on her small bump, Lilith rinsed out her mouth and spat in the sink. Looking at Zelda Spellman’s reflection in the mirror in front of her, she worried the daily routine of morning sickness was becoming a burden. 

Smiling softly, the redheaded witch reached past Lilith, grabbed her toothbrush, put toothpaste on it and held it out to the Queen of Hell; “Brush your teeth and then kiss me, you fool.”

With a grin, Lilith used her teeth to grab the toothbrush then leaned against the counter as she brushed her teeth. Her eyes travelled wantonly over her lover’s curves within the Japanese silk robe. As she reached forward to grab Zelda’s hip, the Devil’s spawn decided to run a marathon within her uterus and her stomach lurched. Dropping her toothbrush into the sink, Lilith dropped to the ground and lost the rest of last night’s dinner into the bowl. In between gags, she whined; “Is the first trimester always like this? It’s been ten weeks! When will this en-uuuggghhh….” 

Zelda reached forward and grabbed Lilith’s hair just as she bent back over the toilet. Reaching around with the cool cloth, she wiped Madame Satan’s mouth and kissed the top of her head; “I think we’re safe - your stomach is certainly empty now, Lily. Come downstairs once you’ve cleaned yourself up, I’ll go make you some peppermint tea and toast.”

### 

Preferring to sleep in the nude, Lilith slipped into a black nightgown, it’s short hemline accentuating her bump, and finished brushing her teeth before following Zelda down into the kitchen and sinking into a chair. She watched Zelda move gracefully around the kitchen, pulling toast from the toaster and buttering it swiftly then placing it in front of Lilith; pouring water from the kettle into the bone china teapot and setting it on the table along with two cups and some honey. Making herself some toast, she settled into the chair beside Lilith and reached over to pour the tea into her cup.

“You spoil me, Zelda, really.” Lilith both loved and hated how the Spellman’s matriarch fussed over her, she wasn’t used to it but it seemed to bring Zelda joy so Lilith accepted graciously. Pouring some of that honey on her buttered toast, she hesitated before putting it in her belly, silently asking the beast inside of her if he planned on leaving it there or not. She waited a few seconds, deemed it safe, and took a bite.

“I don’t spoil you Lilith and don’t sleep in your room on my account. I’m just fine. You need a midwife and luckily, you live with one. That reminds me, we need to do an ultrasound...”

The Queen of Hell’s face darkened and she stirred honey into her peppermint tea distractedly, “You know I don’t want to see that thing, Zelda. I know it’s fine, I don’t need confirmation.”

Zelda reached forward and placed a hand on Lilith’s, “Darling, I’m the expert here. I need to see the baby, even if you just close your eyes during the examination.” 

Clearing her dishes into the sink, Lilith pulled Zelda to her feet and into her arms. “I’ve waited my entire life to deserve you. If seeing this little monster will make you happy, we will do it this afternoon. I have something I need to attend to first.” The Queen of Hell wiped the smile off of Zelda’s face with a deep kiss then left her in the kitchen as she went to get dressed.

### 

The chilly Autumn air caressed Lilith’s cheek, sweeping beneath her dark hair and whispering to her as she walked into the Greendale Woods; Samhain was just around the corner and the Mother of Demons needed to prepare. Even though the fetus was only ten weeks, Lilith had a feeling it was growing at an exponential rate and that was why her morning sickness was so persistent and severe. Leave it to the Devil’s spawn to force its way into the World on the most powerful night of the year, like an unholy Antichrist. 

In the clearing, Lilith removed her leather jacket and stood in a black velvet gown, her bump proudly on display. In her right hand was a dagger and in her left, a raven was squawking and flapping his wings madly. The raven signified immortality and departed souls, it was her representation of Lucifer and would be a spirit messenger. Lifting her hands up to the sky, Lilith chanted in ancient Hebrew, her voice deepening to become one with the wind. As she closed her eyes, her voice rose to a frenzied pitch, the words swirling and dancing in the air, creating a whirlwind that surrounded her.

When the Queen of Hell opened her eyes again they were as black as the raven’s. Bringing her hands together above her head, she slit the raven’s throat in one violent motion, warm blood raining down on her. Dropping the raven’s limp body at her feet, she then dragged the dagger across her wrist, letting her own blood fall down onto the carcass. Then she slowly knelt over the bird, her blood mixing with his, becoming one with the fowl. Suddenly, the chest of the raven billowed full of air and it took flight, she followed it, raising her face to the sky. Her blacked out eyes began to see what the raven saw and she uttered a command in Mishnaic Hebrew - sending the bird to the Nine Circles of Hell.

### 

Lucifer recognized her right away, “Lilith.” He hissed from his position, chained to the ground.

After Lilith and Zelda had buried him alive in Damascus steel coffins to be tormented relentlessly by Batibat, The Dark Lord had been placed in Limbo, the first Circle of Hell, to await her orders. She had been happy to keep him there, starving and thirsty, wasting away in a mortal skin-suit, neglected and ignored with no one to feed his ego, not even a minion to give him attention. Only the demon Batibat visited on occasion, stirring up his nightmares and thrilling in watching him live through them. But now it was time to move him along, keeping him busy and ensuring he had no opportunity to recruit any spies that may still be loyal to him.

Floating above him in raven form, she soared downwards and used her sharp beak to peck at his face, leaving a vicious gash bleeding on his cheek. The raven opened its beak and her voice surfaced from his throat, “Lucifer. I trust Limbo has treated you well. You’re looking nice and…..thin.” The raven cawed and it sounded like a laugh. “Just to keep things interesting, you will not be moving through the circles in order. You sent me through to all of them in hopes that it would subdue and break me - had it not been for Zelda travelling through time to encourage me to continue, you might have succeeded in killing me. But that was never your intention, was it? You simply wanted to remind me that you were my Master. Killing me would have meant you would have to do your own dirty work. Well. How the tables have turned.” 

The raven sank to Lucifer’s naked shoulder, sinking its claws deep into his shoulder, drawing blood, as its beak moved closer to his ear, “I am your Master now. Your sole purpose will be to suffer for eternity for what you have done to me. I will take great pleasure in commanding Batibat to exact my revenge ever so slowly, over many millennia, while I raise your son to be nothing like you.”

Lucifer snarled and snapped his teeth at the raven, his eyes glowing red; “My daughter will rise up against you, Lilith. She is the rightful heir to the throne of Hell!” 

The raven took flight, cawing again in amusement; “Sabrina works for me, Lucifer. She is in Hell as we speak, doing a fine job under my tutelage. She as well is learning how to be nothing like you. Now - enough blithering….the Wrathful are waiting.” And with that, Lucifer was spirited away to the Fifth Circle of Hell, Wrath. 

Lilith blinked the beautiful blue back into her eyes, reaching down to cradle the raven in the palm of her hands, she pursed her lips around its beak and breathed into its lungs. His beady black eyes opened and she smiled slightly, “Thank you for your service, off you go.” Opening her hands, she watched him fly high into the sky and disappear. Slowly getting to her feet, Lilith’s brow furrowed - she was worried about what the ultrasound would discover.

Sliding into her leather jacket, Lilith placed the dagger in the deep pocket on her hip and turned back towards the Mortuary. The ritual had taken most of the morning and it was nearing lunchtime; expending that much energy made her famished and she hoped her girl was making her favourite. Gliding through the woods and into the Spellman’s cemetery, Lilith paused at the tombstone that read Queen of Hell’s slave which was next to High Priestess’ whore, where Faustus Blackwood was buried and suffering a similar fate. Looking down at the hardened mound of dirt covering the grave, Lilith sneered and spat on the ground, the spit sizzling in the dirt as she walked away towards the house.

### 

Zelda took one look at Lilith’s pallid face, covered with raven blood, and hurried over to her, “What have you been up to, Lily?! Are you hurt?”

“No love. I just need to clean up and eat.” Lilith pressed a tender kiss to Zelda’s lips, removed her jacket, and slipped into the powder room. 

Washing the raven blood off of her face, she looked at her reflection in the mirror and shuddered. Seeing Lucifer had left her visibly shaken; it had been over two months since the coven had joined them in the ritual burial of Blackwood and the Dark Lord. It had been a ploy to ensure Lucifer wouldn’t kill Lilith for betraying him and revenge for Zelda for what Blackwood had put her through. Unlike Zelda, Lilith continued to have conflicting emotions; she absolutely wanted Lucifer in the ground but she also felt guilty for putting him there. Many millennia of brainwashing at his hands had made that decision far more difficult than it should have been. With his seed growing inside her, her hormones caused even more turmoil.

Lilith was welcomed into the kitchen with a steaming bowl of stew and a saucy smile on her redheaded witch; “I made your favourite. Man-flesh stew. Don’t mind the tang, I tried to get a fresh body but didn’t think it was wise to actually kill someone just for lunch so I used one of the more recent cadavers from the basement. It’s left a bit of an….after taste.”

The Dawn of Doom dug into the stew with vigor, the lingering iron flavour of somewhat rotten flesh, not even phasing her. The creature within her womb vibrated as it fed off of the human she consumed; looking up, she licked her lips and winked at Zelda. “It’s perfect, thank you.”

Lunch finished, the witches made their way to the basement for the ultrasound. Lilith was a bundle of nerves as she slid onto the examination table and pulled her dress up to reveal her bump. The High Priestess turned on the ultrasound machine and lazily slid her hand up Lilith’s leg with a saucy grin, teasing the dark haired witch wickedly. With a chuckle, the redhead removed her hand and squirted the lubricant onto Lilith’s belly, moving the wand around to find the fetus.

Lilith leaned her head back on the table and looked at the ceiling with a worried frown. The wand continued to sweep across her belly and Zelda made a soft sound, “I can’t seem to find the bab….OH!” She gasped loudly, “Satan in Hell, Lilith, LOOK!”

The Queen of Hell’s head whipped sideways to look at the screen but she didn’t understand what she was looking at. She could see the fetus floating around but…”What is it, Zelda?!”

“This fetus is not 10 weeks along, this is the size of a baby well into the second trimester!” Zelda brought a hand to her mouth in shock, leaning in for a closer look. “I would say this fetus is more like twenty weeks along. And…”

Lilith reached out and grabbed Zelda’s chin, forcing the witch to look at her. “AND WHAT?”

Zelda Spellman fell into Lilith’s blazing blue eyes and swallowed loudly, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly before answering her lover. “Lilith, my love….you’re having a girl.”

### To Be Continued...


	2. Second Trimester

### Second Trimester

Zelda clenched the sheets with white knuckles, her head falling back onto the pillow as she arched her back and moaned through parted lips. Her entire body shook and she held her breath, riding the waves as she slammed her hand down on the mattress; “Enough…Lily...”

Breathless and whimpering, the redheaded witch reached beneath the sheets, between her legs, and caught Lilith’s chin, gripping onto her jaw and pulling upwards. The Queen of Hell slid up the High Priestess’ body, peppering her soft skin with tender kisses, lingering around and nibbling at her hip bone, her breasts, her collarbone, her neck, and her earlobe. Leaving Zelda groaning and wiggling, trying to get away from the dark haired seductress, her hands gripping at the demoness’ strong shoulders. Flushed, chest heaving from the exertion, Zelda pushed Lilith slightly, meeting her gaze; “I can’t keep this up, Lily. You’re like a sex demon - insatiable!” 

The Dawn of Doom’s bright blues shimmered in amusement as she leaned down to catch Zelda’s bottom lip between her teeth, tugging lightly and sucking it into her mouth, biting down hard enough to bruise. Smiling against Zelda’s mouth as she yelped and slapped Lilith in the ribs with a loud *smack*, leaving a handprint behind. “Feisty, Ms. Spellman.” Lilith purred against her lover’s mouth.

The Mother of Demons was well into her second trimester, despite the fact that she was technically in the first; the Devil’s spawn was clearly not human and growing at almost three times the speed of a mortal babe. The second trimester brought the disappearance of her morning sickness and ushered in a voracious appetite for bedroom gymnastics. Not only was Zelda getting a workout, she was getting a headache!

“No, not feisty...FINISHED.” Zelda shoved Lilith onto her side of the bed, rolling her eyes when the beauty pouted playfully. “Despite what you might believe, I was not created for the sole purpose of pleasing you Lilith. I still run the Academy, have responsibilities as High Priestess, have to look after that creature growing inside of you, and manage my familial responsibilities. I can’t do any of that if you’ve got me tied to the bedposts every day - literally and figuratively speaking.” 

As she leaned on her elbow and looked down at Zelda, the sheet fell off Lilith’s naked shoulder, revealing pert breasts and her sharp collarbone. Zelda couldn’t help but follow the flutter of that sheet as it caressed the Queen of Hell’s curves; flopping down on the bed and closing her eyes was the only way to end the relentless pulsing of desire between the two. Lilith could blame hormones but Zelda couldn’t explain her own wanton behaviour; she was happy to escape and avoid her real life responsibilities behind closed doors with the demoness...until she was reminded of how much she was neglecting to do so. 

“Yes, Madame Directrix. I’ll try to keep my hands off of you unless permission has been expressly given.” Lilith teased, her fingertips sliding over Zelda’s bruised lip and down to roll a nipple between them; but before Zelda could scold her, she rolled out of bed and stood up.

Zelda’s hands immediately flew to her temples in shock, gasping as she pointed at the protruding belly; “That thing is growing every second! I swear an hour ago it was significantly smaller than that.”

With a sigh, Lilith caressed her round belly and patted it. “I don’t know what to tell you Zelda, my daughter is eager to come into this world.” She smiled every time she mentioned that she was having a girl; even though it meant that if Lucifer did ever get free from the Nine Circles of Hell he would not hesitate to kill her, Lilith was thrilled she would give birth to a girl. A sobering thought, Lilith turned her back and pulled a robe off a nearby chair, sliding into it and belting it around her belly with a frown. 

“What is it, Lilith?” Zelda sat up, leaning against the plush crimson headboard in Lilith’s ornate bed, in the opulent room she’d created for her. Lighting a cigarette, the High Priestess squinted her eyes through the smoke as she took a deep drag and blew smoke rings into the air.

Lilith opened the thick velvet drapes and stared out at the cemetery, her eyes falling onto Lucifer’s grave Queen of Hell’s slave written across it as a reminder to the former Dark Lord that he no longer had any power over her. And yet…”I’m struggling, Zelds. Lucifer and I were together for as long as the world has existed. There was only a brief time where I was on my own before he fell from Heaven.” She turned to look at her lover, the witch who had travelled back in time and helped her through the Circles of Hell when she had been close to giving up; “There were moments when he wasn’t horrible. There were moments when he was tender, loving...moments where it felt like he truly cared about me. I both love him and loathe him.” Her eyes shone with unshed tears as she turned back to the window, “And now I’m carrying his demon spawn...and it’s a girl.”

In one swift moment, Lilith grabbed a gargoyle shaped book end from the desk and threw it as hard as she could through the window, releasing all of the rage and hurt she felt inside in a guttural scream. The window shattered, chunks of glass raining down on the floor, the wind whistling violently into the room, mussing Lilith’s hair and extinguishing Zelda’s cigarette. Zelda threw back the covers and leapt out of the bed, crossing the room quickly and pulling Lilith into her arms as the witch sank to the ground sobbing, pulling her lover with her. “It doesn’t matter where he is, or what’s happening, my happiness will always be poisoned by his mere existence! I can’t even be happy to be having a daughter before I’m reminded that, aside from the Circles of Hell, the idea that I am bearing his son is the only thing keeping him from killing me...or worse, sending me back to the Circles of Hell.”

Zelda’s arms tightened around the Queen of Hell; having witnessed a portion of Lilith’s torment when Lucifer sent her to the Circles of Hell and having died there herself, Zelda understood Lilith’s anxiety. Being sent back to any of those Circles, let alone being stuck there for eternity, was a fate far worse than the peace of death. “We have to kill him.” Zelda whispered her revelation. 

“What did you say?” Lilith sniffed and untangled herself from Zelda’s naked embrace, leaning back to search her face.

“You’re right Lilith. You will never be truly safe so long as Lucifer exists in one form of another. Even though he is being drowned in the Fifth Circle as we speak, he could have minions on his side, and I’m sure he’s plotting his eventual revenge.” Reaching forward, the High Priestess wiped the Queen of Hell’s tears and squeezed her hand, “We will have to kill him.”

“The Spear of Longinus.” The Mother of Demons got to her feet and reached down to help Zelda, who took her hand and went to press down into the ground when she yelped suddenly. Lilith looked down as Zelda turned her foot over and revealed deep gashes made by running across glass, her eyes widened, “Zelda Spellman. You crossed glass for me!”

“Of course I did, witch.” Zelda winced as she pulled smaller shards out of the tender flesh of her arch. Annoyed, she looked up at Lilith with a flare in her green eyes, “How long is it going to take before you understand that I care for you? Damnit, Lilith.” Despite the pain, Zelda got on her feet and squared off with Lilith, taking the Dawn of Doom’s face in her hands, and looking deep into her eyes, “I love you.” 

With the strength of a demoness, Lilith grabbed Zelda by the hips and lifted her onto the desk, getting her off her feet. Stunned to silence by the High Priestess’ confession, Lilith was quiet, conjuring a bowl of water and cloth, she knelt in front of Zelda’s feet and cleaned them tenderly. Running a frustrated hand through her hair, Zelda sighed. If they were going to welcome this demon child into the world and properly defeat the Dark Lord, they had no time to pussyfoot around their feelings for each other. And Zelda Spellman was tired. She was tired of placing ambition over connection, it had been almost two decades since she’d found and welcomed love into her life, she was ready to be High Priestess, Directrix, midwife, and the love of someone’s life. 

Biting her lip, Lilith looked up when Zelda sighed, feeling her heart clench in that familiar way it did whenever she felt someone was displeased with her - yet another trauma response she’d developed thanks to Lucifer. Grasping Zelda’s feet, Lilith leaned forward to rest her cheek on them, her tears of gratitude sliding along the redhead witch’s feet to spread along the small cuts, closing them up in their wake. Satisfied that Zelda’s feet had been looked after, Lilith pressed a kiss to the top of them, lingering there and trying to commit this moment to memory so she could replace all of those hoof-kissing memories with this one.

“I-....I don’t know what love looks like for me Zelds. Whatever I felt for Lucifer, I don’t want to feel anything like that ever again. I was taught that was love - well I don’t accept that. I know that I feel differently with you, I just don’t know what to call it yet.”

Feeling the cuts heal themselves on the bottom of her feet, Zelda fluidly lowered herself into Lilith’s lap, straddling the thighs of the witch who had just been kneeling in front of her. Taking the Queen of Hell’s face in her hands once more, she pulled her in for a tender kiss. Lilith pressed into the kiss, feeling the emotion behind it before Zelda pulled back; “I don’t need you to say anything, Lily. I just need you to stop doubting what I would do for you - walking on glass is only the beginning.” 

Lilith smiled and hushed Zelda with a passionate kiss. Zelda’s insides swooped and she grabbed Lilith’s hand, guiding it between her legs; a soft moan of surprise escaped from Lilith as she followed Zelda’s lead. Spreading her legs, forcing Zelda’s open further, her fingers explored. The High Priestess gasped, her mouth pressing to Lilith’s ear as she whispered breathlessly, “I’ve already gone to Hell and back for you.” 

“You might have to go again…” Lilith purred against her lover’s neck as explored deeper between her thighs.

“I would go a thousand times, my Queen.”

### 

“You want to try and fetch the Spear of Longinus?!” Hilda looked aghast, her hands covered in minced meat, using leftover man-flesh from the corpse Zelda had frozen for when Lilith needed sustenance, to make a meat pie for dinner. 

“Auntie Zee, that spear could be in one of three places...potentially...or absolutely anywhere else in the world!” Ambrose was sitting on the counter, shucking peas for the pies. “When we first learned that the Spear of Longinus could be used against Lucifer, I did some research. According to history and myth, the spear is either under the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, in the Vatican, Rome where it’s been since 1492 when it was sent to Rome by Ottoman Sultan Bayezi II to encourage Pope Innocent VIII to keep Bayezid’s brother as a prisoner; somewhere in Vienna, Austria where it was placed in a golden sleeve around 1350 and hidden in the Imperial Treasury of the Hofburg Palace; or it’s somewhere in Vagharshapat, Armenia. Or, like I said, absolutely anywhere else in the entire world.” Ambrose dropped the last pea into his bowl and jumped off the counter. “There’s no wa-...”

Zelda cut off her nephew, her hand rising in front of her with her palm up, “There has to be a way Ambrose. I will accept nothing else.” 

The intensity of the moment was interrupted by the wet sound of minced meat falling off of Hilda’s hands and onto the floor. Salem meowed and hopped down to retrieve it, whipping his tail against Hilda’s ankles in gratitude as she interrupted her sister and Ambrose. “We could try a revealing spell? That may narrow it down between locations.” 

“Yes, why that could work Aunt Hilda! I’ll see if I can find one that’s stronger than another or something we can combine it with to increase its power.” Ambrose looked excited as he started to head to his room.

“We’re going to need maps, Ambrose!” Zelda called after him.

“Yes. Well. Who is going to help me with this pie crust? Lily?” A master at reading the room, Hilda could sense it was time to change the topic, her sister could be a bit intense.

“Thank you Hilda.” The Mother of Demons appreciated the distraction, as she tried to process what she just agreed to do. It was one thing to give the Spellman sisters daggers she knew wouldn’t kill Lucifer, it was another to actually seek out to find the one weapon that would actually destroy him. “Can I have the rolling pin?

Hilda smiled and nodded, sending the rolling pin floating over to Lilith, sinking her hands back into mixing spices into the meat, as she stared at her sister and encouraged her to move on from the topic at hand for now. “Would you mind frying the onions, sister?” 

Zelda threw a hand in the air, rolled her eyes, and grabbed some butter and a cast iron pan. Rolling an onion onto the cutting board, she began to chop manically, sniffling and wiping at her eyes when the onion burned them. Her heart was pounding as she tried to filter through her own emotions. Taking control of situations was her way of putting her guard up, of avoiding being too vulnerable. It was easy to step into the role of Protector and Leader, it was much harder to ask for help. It was much harder to admit wanting to hear “I love you” back.

Lilith draped the pie crust into the pan, cutting off the extra dough, then rolling out the covering, grabbing a paring knife to cut small details into the dough. Hilda looked over and raised an eyebrow, impressed; “I didn’t know you were such a talent in the kitchen!” She turned, dumping the spiced meat onto Zelda’s fried onions, motioning enthusiastically to her sister to keep stirring before continuing to address Lilith. “I should request your help more often!”

Chuckling softly, Lilith leaned against the counter, the simple black cotton dress she wore dusted with flour, “Ah well, there were times when Lucifer requested mortal-like dinners...so I learned to cook.” Her smile turned into a bit of a wince and Hilda reached over to pat Lilith on the hand sympathetically.

“Sister, I think I’m burning this!” Hilda spun around, Zelda really was useless in the kitchen, and grabbed the spatula from her sister. “I’ve just been standing here stirring! What could I possibly have done wrong?”

“I could ask you the same thing Zelda Spellman but somehow you have managed to burn the dinner I’ve spent all afternoon preparing. I’ll have to start again, in the meantime, please wash these pots and pans - I’m sure you can manage that?”

As the sisters bickered, Lilith’s belly heaved and shook. The world spun and blurred her vision as her hands pressed against the creature kicking and punching to get out. The Spellman sisters’ voices raised as they became more heated over Zelda ruining dinner, so loud they didn’t hear when Lilith crumpled to the floor. Her hand sweeping the table as she fell, the clattering of the pie pan on the floor catching their attention. 

“LILITH!” Zelda dove to the floor, checking for a pulse. Her eyes scanned Lilith’s body and she gasped to find a pool of blood forming around her hips. “Hilda! Get Ambrose!”

Zelda got to her feet, sweeping everything on the table onto the floor, the noise scattering Salem from the kitchen. Spinning around the Devil spawn’s midwife fetched a clean sheet and threw it over the table, gathering clothes and towels, water, disinfectant, and gloves for herself. Holding her hands above Lilith’s body, Zelda closed her eyes and muttered a spell, the demoness’ limp body began to levitate. Blood dripped down Lilith’s legs, falling through the air as her body was transported onto the kitchen table, and splashing on the ground. It was quite the scene to come upon, Hilda squeaked as she reentered the kitchen with an armful of herbs and Ambrose on her heels.

Covering Lilith’s body with another sheet, Zelda motioned to Ambrose, “Get blankets and keep her warm, watch her face and keep checking her pulse, tell me if you see anything, even if it’s just a twitch.” Zelda pushed Lilith’s legs up, Hilda ran around to hold one of them as Ambrose finished conjuring blankets and laying them on before grabbing the other leg and putting his fingers on her pulse.

Ducking under the sheet, Zelda’s gloved hand checked to see if she could feel the creature in the birthing canal. Shaking her head with a frown, she couldn’t feel anything. Searching a bit deeper, looking for a sign of discomfort on Lilith’s face, she pushed on the belly with her free hand, looking for the small form. “OUCH!” Zelda pulled her hand back violently, ripping off her glove and looking at the sharp teeth marks around her index finger. “She BIT me!”

Hilda and Ambrose’s eyes both grew wide. “Aunties...if the baby is capable of biting Auntie Zee….what is she doing to Lilith’s insides?!” 

“She needs to come out.” Zelda sounded determined, talking through clenched teeth as she looked at the witch she’d just confessed love to. She changed her gloves and went to lift the sheet again.

“You know she won’t survive if you pull her out Zelds, even a demon child can’t survive at this stage. This isn’t your call to make.” Hilda put her hand gently on Zelda’s arm, stilling it. 

Zelda was irritated to find her eyes filling with tears; “....but Lily.” 

“Give me a minute, sister. I will make a sleeping potion that will put that little demon to sleep.” Hilda gently put Lilith’s leg down and went to twisting jar lids off of her herbs, tossing a pinch of this and a handful of that into a pot of water she conjured to a boil. The bitter and spicy aroma of witchcraft filled the kitchen as Zelda paced anxiously back and forth, looking to Ambrose for any signs of life from the Queen of Hell. “Her pulse is weak, Auntie. There’s a lot of blood.”

Zelda slammed her fist down on the table, leaning down to hiss in Lilith’s ear, “You absolutely will not die on me after you’ve made me love you.” Her memories brought the Circles of Hell to the forefront of her thoughts, the other time she’d see Lilith suffer and consider giving up, where she’d been invisible but able to call her name and reach out, encouraging her to continue. She focused now, on reaching deep within the recesses of Lilith’s mind, her voice beckoning the Dawn of Doom to continue to rise. Repeating the words she’d used in the Seventh Circle, “Lilith. Mother of Demons, Dawn of Doom, you are the First Woman. You were chosen! You are meant to rise to unimaginable heights. Do not give up. This is not how it ends. I believe in you.“ Her voice cracked and she rested her forehead on Lilith’s, whispering, “I don’t want to be in a world without you in it.”

Hilda spun around and Zelda straightened, wiping quickly at her eyes, then reaching forward and opening Lilith’s mouth, gently holding her head up to facilitate a clear pathway down her throat. “Slowly Hildy, we don’t want her choking on top of all of this.” 

Hilda slowly poured the potion over Lilith’s lips and down her throat. Ambrose laid a hand on Lilith’s belly, feeling for movement, his other hand feeling for her pulse. As the concoction went down, Hilda and Ambrose started to chant; “Tender shepherd, tender shepherd, let me help you count your sheep….one in the meadow, two in the garden, three in the nursery… fast asleep.” Zelda joined in and the three of them placed their palms on Lilith’s belly, repeating the lullaby until they were certain there was no more movement and the Devil’s spawn was asleep.

Zelda moved back to shake Lilith’s shoulders, “Lily….LILITH!” 

Wild-eyed, the High Priestess looked at Hilda, who wrung her hands anxiously, and Ambrose who shook his head and whispered softly, “There’s so much blood Auntie Zee….”

### To Be Continued...


	3. Third Trimester

### Third Trimester

Chain smoking, Zelda paced outside of Lilith’s room where the witch had been in a coma for almost three weeks. Hooked up to an IV dripping saline and pain medication into her veins, a feeding tube down her throat kept her and the Devil’s spawn satiated with liquified human flesh and blood, and a catheter ensured all of her bodily functions were being attended to. After her collapse in the kitchen, Lilith was unresponsive and the Spellman’s decided to set her room up as if it were a hospital; in the time she’d been comatose, her belly continued to grow exponentially and she looked like she was almost to term. It tortured Zelda to see her lover like that, a live incubator for Lucifer’s murderous child - she felt nothing but rage towards the innocent demon child for putting Lilith in this position. 

Her anxiety over whether Lilith would survive this pregnancy was making her impossible to be around; she’d given her Directrix duties to Ambrose for the time being, and Hilda was taking care of anything else the students at the Academy may need. Zelda had set up a cot in Lilith’s room and was alternating between pacing the hallway and sitting at her bedside monitoring her. Every morning the Spellmans came together to place their hands on the Queen of Hell’s belly and sing the demon back to sleep - they learned quickly that they needed to keep her asleep or Lilith suffered. A table and chair had been set up outside of Lilith’s door for when Zelda needed a cigarette so she didn’t aggravate the demon spawn with the smoke and awaken her; snuffing out her cigarette, Zelda breezed back into the room.

As it did every time she saw Lilith, her heart clenched and she felt a flop in her belly. The Mother of Demons was a pallid grey colour, tubes rudely marring her beauty. Zelda’s worried gaze took in the empty saline pouch and she moved to the desk that had been set up with medical supplies. Hanging a new saline pouch to keep the demoness hydrated, Zelda brushed the hair from her face, searching for signs of life but Lilith’s expression remained neutral. She replaced the drainage bag attached to Lilith’s catheter, the clear urine telling her the witch was getting enough saline. Then she prepared a sponge bath. 

Tenderly, the eldest living Spellman took the Queen of Hell’s limbs in her hands and rubbed them with a soft sponge and warm water. When she got to Lilith’s face, Zelda paused, wringing out the cloth and slowly dragging it along the sharp lines of the witch’s face. Her mind wandered to how she could have possibly allowed herself to love the ultimate wild card, the Mother of Demons, the First Woman, a demoness who didn’t recognize or accept love when it was right in front of her. 

“When it’s changing her damned drainage bag.” Zelda muttered to herself with a snort, shaking her head at herself. 

With a snap of her fingers, the sponge bath tools vanished and she moved herself to sit at the head of the bed. Gently lifting Lilith’s head, she gathered her dark tresses and ran a comb through them, brushing until they shone, before laying them around Lilith’s face. Stroking her lover’s cheek, Zelda leaned down and kissed her firmly; “Come back to me Lily….” The Queen of Hell made no response.

Sighing, Zelda rose and walked to the balcony, shutting the doors behind her and lighting another cigarette. Resting her right elbow on her left hand, her arm crossing her torso, she leaned against the doors and smoked pensively. Her thoughts ran rampant, going through the plan the Spellmans had decided on; according to the revealing spell, St. Peter’s Basilica appeared to be the most likely location for the Spear of Longinus. When they had come together with maps of Italy, Austria, and Armenia the glass jar acting like a planchette had moved to cover Rome as the location of the spear. Ambrose, ever the realist, reminded Zelda that it was a good first step but that it was possible that the spell revealed Rome as the most likely place out of the three they offered, which meant it was possible it could still be anywhere else. The trouble with magic is that if the spear had ever been at St. Peter’s Basilica, the spell would indicate that even if it wasn’t still there. 

“But it’s a start…” The High Priestess muttered to herself, taking a long drag from her cigarette, Zelda’s eyes fell on the two graves in the cemetery where Lucifer and Blackwood were buried. Her eyes flashed emerald green and she snapped her finger, instantly transporting herself onto Lucifer’s grave. 

Kneeling down, Zelda sank her hands into the ground covering Lucifer’s Damascus steel coffin. Her nostrils flared as she felt her rage surge through her, the energy crackling off of her, borrowing energy from her own centuries on this Earth, pulling from all the heartache and sacrifice she’d suffered to drive her voice through the ground, into the depths of Hell. Lightning flashed in her green eyes turning them a brilliant silver. In desperation, the High Priestess combined two killing spells, driving their power through to the Fifth Circle of Hell where Lucifer suffered under the Wrathful.

“Let sticks and stones break the Dark Lord’s bones. Andrelamastro, matarastar, frocus!” A vision of Lucifer hanging above the River Styx with the Wrathful reaching up for him flashed before her silver-tinted eyes, her voice rose as she thrust her hands deeper into the soil. “Let sticks and stones break the Dark Lord’s bones! Andrelamastro, matarastar, frocus!” 

In her vision, Lucifer screamed, throwing his head back but when it straightened again he was laughing and in her mind she heard his voice; “You’ll have to do better than that, witch!”

Zelda took all of that energy and released it in a scream that left her throat raw, the power of her rage cracking the tombstone in half and left a spider vein in between the words Queen of Hell’s and slave. Blinking tears of frustration from her eyes, the lightning silver fading, her chest heaving from the exertion, she stood. With another cry, she lifted her leg and thrust it against the tombstone, kicking it with her heel and watching as the crack in the stone forced either side to fall in opposite directions. Dirt flew in multiple directions as the former Directrix of the Academy of Unseen arts unleashed her fury on the earth. 

Her furious gaze fell upon the High Priestess’ whore, where Faustus Blackwood was buried alive, his soul also being tormented by Batibat in the Circles of Hell and she sneered as she kicked at the earth on his grave, “I don’t have time to deal with you, Blackwood, but mark my words...I am biding my time...and when my Lily is safe and sound, you will be next.” 

“AUNTIE ZEE!!” The second she heard Ambrose’ voice she was running; having used immense power to drive her spells to Hell she didn’t want to waste anymore energy transporting back to the house. Throwing the front door open and skipping every other step up the staircase, she rounded the corner to Lilith’s room and stopped short to see Ambrose and Hilda waiting for her. Out of breath, she motioned for them to explain. 

“Lilith’s water broke and her cervix is dilated to five centimeters.” Hilda filled Zelda in as she marched into the bathroom to clean herself off. 

“Auntie Zee, how will we get the baby out if Lilith isn’t awake to push?” Ambrose looked worried as he rolled up his sleeves and gathered some extra towels.

Zelda was shaking her head, trying to think, she motioned for them to leave her alone as she started to disrobe from her dirty clothes and change into leftover scrubs she had from her midwifery days. She’d never had to birth a child from the womb of a comatose witch - they were going to have to cut the Devil’s spawn out. With a snarl, Zelda muttered to Lucifer under her breath; “How fitting that even as you suffer at the hands of the Wrathful in Hell, you will still manage to hurt Lilith.” 

Flinging Lilith’s bedroom door open, Zelda swallowed a sob to see the amount of blood already staining the bedsheets. Ambrose and Hilda looked up at her with questions in their eyes. “Ambrose, I need you to look after Lilith. Monitor her pulse, watch her face, make sure she’s still breathing. Tell me if anything changes.” He nodded and settled in a chair at the head of the bed.

“Hilda, when I say, I’m going to need you to apply fundal pressure, push downwards on the uterus, and that will help guide the baby out when I pull on her.” Zelda grimaced as she saw Lilith’s belly moving. “She’s awake. We’re all going to need to do what we can to settle her as she’s being delivered to limit the amount of damage she is causing Lilith’s body.” The other Spellmans nodded as Zelda took control.

Pulling blankets and sheets off of Lilith, with Ambrose covering her top half with blankets to keep her body temperature regulated, Zelda conjured the sterilized tools she would need from the basement onto a tray beside her. Picking up the scalpel, she hesitated, looking down at the rolling belly, frozen. Her eyes flickered up to the Queen of Hell’s face, peaceful in her endless slumber. “Zelds?” Hilda’s voice helped center her, she took a deep breath then ran her blade across Lilith’s stomach, slicing through skin, muscle, and fat to get to the uterus.

The bed looked a bit like a murder scene and it was getting to Zelda, she felt nauseous and nervous as she sliced open the sac and the rest of the water burst from the cut, spilling out over her hands. The Devil’s spawn moved with ferocity, blood pooled as Zelda watched, trying to determine where she could cut without cutting the creature. “Ambrose, how is Lilith?” 

“Her pulse is weak Auntie, but nothing else has changed. I have some blood and plasma here if she needs it, it seems like she’s lost quite a bit.” His voice was shaking, everyone was staring at the roving being with just a thin membrane between her and the world.

“Hilda. Can you put her to sleep?” Zelda was struggling with how she was going to deliver a potentially winged-creature and take care of it while also trying to save Lilith’s life simultaneously. 

Hilda began to sing the tender shepherd lullaby, Ambrose joined in, and the movement settled. Zelda took that moment to slice through the uterus and shove her hand into the wound she’d created, her fingers feeling for the head. Instead she felt a foot, she cursed - the baby was breech. It would be that much more difficult to deliver and coming out feet first left her mouth full of daggers coming out last. Zelda tried to grab onto a foot but the creature wasn’t quite asleep and it slipped away from her grasp, moving her hand again and pushing deeper into the uterus, she used her other hand to press the outside of the uterus through the belly. 

“ARRGHHHHH!!” Zelda cried out and yanked her hand back, her glove was torn to bits and a large laceration beneath her thumb revealed white muscle-meat and the gleam of a bone. She looked at her family members fearfully, holding her wounded hand in the air, blood sliding down her arm. “How in Satan’s name am I going to get her out?!” 

Spinning on her heel, she ran out of the room, coming back moments later in black leather gloves. “If you’re going to act like an animal, you’ll be treated like one you little beast.” Without hesitating, Zelda shoved both hands into Lilith’s belly, her fingers found the umbilical cord and, gripping the spawn’s jaw, forced the cord between her sharp teeth. “NOW HILDA!”

Hilda used both hands to press down on Lilith’s belly as Zelda gripped the demon baby’s hips and gently eased one leg out at a time, then twisting to free a shoulder and her right arm, her tiny dagger-tipped fingers clawed at flesh around her, leaving small but deep cuts on Lilith’s belly. Zelda grimaced and tried to work quickly, freeing the left shoulder and arm, whimpering as blood gushed out. Sinking her hand deeper, Zelda held the creature’s head to ensure her neck wasn’t damaged and then she pulled the writhing, shrieking demon-child out. Chomping down on her own umbilical cord, her daggered fingers and toes kicking and flailing, trying to connect with witch-flesh.

“Ambrose! Bring the bassinet and conjure a weighted blanket! Hurry!” Zelda held the newborn away from her, her leather-covered hands gripping tightly. She did a quick visual examination, the Devil’s spawn appeared healthy; she did not have wings, but her nails and teeth were well beyond her supposed developmental stage and far sharper than any witch or mortal. The spawn’s midwife worried about the state of Lilith’s internal organs after having housed and given birth to this.

Ambrose brought the bassinet with a heavy blanket and Zelda placed the baby inside; with the blanket on her, immediately the tiny demoness purred and suckled at the cord in her mouth. Zelda gently pulled on the umbilical cord, releasing the placenta from Lilith’s womb. “Auntie Zee? She’s….umm….” Zelda turned around to see blood dripping from the corners of the very happy baby-spawn’s mouth as she sucked at the umbilical cord. With the placenta in her hand, Zelda walked over to observe the babe.

“What in Heavens name….is she…..” Horror registered on Zelda’s face as she pulled the umbilical cord out of the creature’s mouth and she squealed, her claws reaching forward to grab at the flesh. “....Ambrose...is she feeding on her cord?” Offering the cord back, the Devil’s spawn squeaked and thrust it back into her mouth, sucking and nibbling on the tissue. 

Zelda’s eyes widened as she looked at Ambrose who nodded in awe. “Dear Satan. Here. Process this. We’ll use it to feed her...I suppose.” She handed Cousin Ambrose the placenta and turned back to see Hilda wildly trying to pack Lilith’s belly with clean clothes to stop the bleeding. 

Rushing back to her lover, Zelda pulled all of the soaked packing out and tossing it aside. Desperate, she pulled off her leather gloves and shoved both hands into Lilith’s body, her nimble fingers searching for damage. Blood and tissue filled Lilith’s uterus - it was too much - Zelda closed her eyes and envisioned white light streaming from her into the Queen of Hell’s body. That light traveled through veins, muscle, tissue, and blood itself repairing the damage that had been done by the creature’s claws and teeth. Lacerations, gouges, collapsed veins, sliced flesh; there was so much damage. Zelda pushed harder, putting the rest of her energy into the light she shone through Lilith. Slowly, flesh came back together, veins were held back up, blood oozed back to where it was meant to be. Zelda Spellman swooned, pulling her hands out of Lilith just as the world went black.

### To Be Continued...


	4. Newborn: Part I

### Newborn: Part I

A week after the birth of the Devil’s spawn, Zelda Spellman was lying next to Lilith, cradling the creature. It had taken a full 24 hours and the Cain pit to revive Zelda after she had expelled all of her energy between Lilith and Lucifer the day the baby had been borth. After the traumatic birth, Lilith had started to show signs of life but Hilda and Ambrose had kept her in a drug-induced coma wanting to ensure that her body had fully healed and that Zelda would return, before they committed to supporting a possible brain damaged demoness. Still weak herself, Zelda had spent the week resting and caring for the babe near Lilith so the tiny demoness could get used to her mother’s scent. 

Lying the blood-sucker on her mother’s chest for some skin to skin contact, Zelda pulled the sheet back to check Lilith’s incision. It was healing quickly and with a touch, the High Priestess could tell that the damage done on the inside was also healing quickly. At this point, Lilith had been in a coma a month and there was serious concern about brain damage. Zelda was confident the interior wounds had all been repaired and would be healed fully soon but until Lilith woke up, she had no idea what state she would be in. Furthermore, her demon-babe fed off of blood and flesh-bits, taking nothing else in an appetite that could only be explained as vampiric. 

Replacing the sheet, Zelda scooped up the tiny demoness and jammed the fleshy part of her palm beneath her thumb into the babe’s hungry mouth and laid back against the headboard. The fanged newborn sank her teeth into the already-present puncture wounds and drank deeply from its surrogate mother. She had been feeding on the remnants of her own placenta and Zelda’s blood, preferring it to any other, since the High Priestess had been resurrected. To avoid infections, the redheaded witch would switch hands halfway through feeding to allow the wound to heal before the next feeding. Hilda and Ambrose would take over feedings when Zelda was too weak, using fresh medical grade blood and plasma they’d sourced from Riverdale’s General Hospital, which they fed her through a bottle with an extremely strong rubber nipple that was more difficult to destroy with her sharp teeth.

“It’s time to wake up your mother, little bat.” Affectionately using her pet name for the devil spawn, Zelda switched hands and allowed her to continue feeding for a bit longer. The High Priestess was avoiding this moment out of fear; there were so many possibilities, Lilith could wake up and be fine, she could wake up and be brain damaged, or….she might not wake up at all. Looking down at the Mother of Demons, Zelda ached to see Lilith’s brilliant blues light up again; little bat had her mother’s eyes but with a hint of emerald in them, making it easy to get lost in the wide-eyed windows to her devilish little soul. Hilda and Ambrose were home should Zelda need assistance but she preferred to be alone for this moment; lying the babe in her black bassinet, Zelda reached up and shut off the valve dripping sedatives into Lilith’s veins. Then she sat next to her, pulling a hand into both of hers, and waited.

### 

“You have to eat something Zelds, and it’s time for little bat’s evening feed.” Hilda breezed into Lilith’s room, leaving a tray of roast beef, mashed potatoes, and mushy peas with a side of garlic thyme gravy and a glass of wine on the desk nearby. She moved to place her hand on her sister’s shoulder, “Anything?”

“Not yet Hildy.” Zelda’s voice sounded centuries old and very, very tired. 

Hilda squeezed her shoulder and picked the bassinet up out of its cradle, carrying the squirming demoness down to the kitchen where she’d be fed from their blood bank supply. Zelda smiled softly as her sister left, leaving the food to grow cold, she pulled the blankets back and crawled into bed beside Lilith. Moving limbs to place herself in the Queen of Hell’s embrace, she rested her head on Lilith’s chest with her palm on her heart and let sleep take her.

_The dew in the meadow wet Zelda’s bare feet as she wandered through the Greendale Woods in the ivory and mint-coloured dress she wore during the Hare Moon ceremony. Looking down she realized she was holding a vibrant crown of flowers. Feeling compelled to continue walking into the clearing, the redheaded witch followed her instincts. As the woods opened, it revealed a dark haired figure in an intricate white lace gown, tiny buttons trailed up the back to the nape of the neck, hidden by chestnut locks. As Zelda moved closer, the figure turned around and the witch gasped to see Lilith walking towards her._

_The yearning Zelda felt at seeing Lilith again made her entire body ache, she picked up the pace and hurried to stand before her, addressing her breathlessly; “My Queen!” Lilith smiled and bowed her head slightly, inviting the crown of flowers to be placed there. Zelda lovingly affixed it on her head, and whispered softly; “I’ve been so worried.”_

__

_“Come, walk with me.” Lilith held out her hand and Zelda took it, their fingers interlacing as the two witches in white moved through the woods barefoot. After a few minutes of silence, Zelda realized the expression on Lilith’s face was far too peaceful - it wasn’t like her - and she felt her stomach drop._

____

_“You’re in a coma, Lily. I need you to wake up.” Breaking the silence, Zelda forced the pair to stop and turned Lilith to face her, that expressionless look haunting Zelda as she searched those bright blues for a sign of the Lilith she knew._

_____ _

_The dark haired witch shook her head slightly, “I’m so tired Zelda. It’s been too long and there’s been too much. I just want to sleep now. Just let me sleep. You’ll be fine without me, you always are.” The Dawn of Doom caressed Zelda’s cheek tenderly. “Let me go.”_

______ _ _

_Frowning, Zelda shook her own head firmly, “Absolutely not. Of course I will survive without you but your daughter will not. She’s a lamia, Lilith, a vampire. She feeds off of blood. She’ll need you to teach her how to survive and how to curb the instincts she will develop so she doesn't spend her life being hunted by mortals.”_

_______ _ _ _

_“You’re the Directrix, Zelda Spellman, isn’t teaching what you do?” A bit of the Lilith Zelda knew shone through as she grinned and toyed with a red curl lazily._

________ _ _ _ _

_“No. It’s one thing to ask for my help, it’s another to thrust this responsibility on someone else while you simply give up. No. I will not stand for this.” Zelda backed away, releasing Lilith’s hand and moving out of her grasp, emboldened with her passionate speech. “The Queen of Hell bows to no one, not even Death.”_

_________ _ _ _ _ _

_At that, Lilith cocked her head, considering; “Perhaps you are correct, my fiery witch.” Opening her arms, she beckoned Zelda back to her._

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Trembling with emotion, Zelda acquiesced and moved into the embrace, wrapping her arms around Lilith’s waist and resting her head on her shoulder. The Mother of Demons pulled the High Priestess in tight, lowering her mouth to whisper in her ear; “Hold tight to me, Zelda Spellman, your love is the light that will guide me out of the darkness….”_

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

A groan and shift in the bed awoke Zelda and she sat straight up, wiping the remnants of tears off her cheeks from her dream, “Lilith?!” Holding her breath, she watched as the Queen of Hell’s eyelids fluttered and her eyes opened slowly. “Lilith!” Biting her lip to keep from throwing herself onto the witch.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Lilith’s eyes blinked and she squinted, moaning softly, her feeding tube impairing her from being able to speak. “Oh! Here….” Zelda slowly pulled the tube from Lilith’s throat and the witch coughed, her eyes widened as she gasped for breath and looked around at her surroundings. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“......wwwhhhhhh….” Zelda nodded in encouragement as Lilith tried to speak, the first syllables coming out like a sigh. Lilith’s brilliant blues stared at Zelda, her frown deepening as she shook her head, “Wh…..ooooo…..who...are you?!”

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

### To Be Continued...

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lamia is Latin for vampire.


	5. Newborn: Part II

### Newborn: Part II

All of the breath left her in a loud _WHOOSH_ and Zelda felt nauseous. Getting out of bed, she walked around and sat next to Lilith so that she could take her hand and look into her face; “It’s me Lily, Zelda.”

Lilith searched Zelda’s face with no sign of recognition on her own. Panic was bubbling within her, she looked around at the bedroom she found herself in, the tubes and IVs snaking in and out of her, and finally she registered the pain she felt radiating from her belly. Pulling her hand out of Zelda’s, she moved the blankets and sheet away from her body and looked down at the healing scar the length of her hand. Looking up at Zelda wildly, she began to panic. 

Zelda held up her hands in a motion of calm, “You’re safe, Lilith. You’re at the Spellman Mortuary, this is your bedroom.” She paused, not wanting to overwhelm the witch. “What is the last thing you remember?” Her voice shook and she cursed her emotions for betraying her.

Moving slowly, clearly in pain, Lilith tried to sit up somewhat and Zelda moved quickly to place another pillow behind her, waiting for her response. “I-....” Lilith swallowed with a frown, with a snap of her fingers Zelda conjured a glass of water and handed it to her. “I don’t remember any of this.” Her hand sweeping to indicate the bedroom and motioning to Zelda also. “The last thing I remember was standing on the side of the road, waiting for a car to come around the corner…”

Zelda was overcome, she slid off of the bed onto the floor and dropped her head onto her knees, covering her face as she began to sob. The last thing Lilith remembered was waiting for Ms. Wardwell to pick her up thinking she hit a young woman on the road and take her into Greendale. Which meant Lilith didn’t remember anything that had happened over the last few months including the people she’d met. In her mind she reached out for her sister, the desperation in her message was clear. 

When Hilda rushed into the room, she immediately cried out with happiness to see Lilith awake but her jubilation was quickly dashed as she registered the confusion on Lilith’s face and the shaking form of her sobbing sister on the floor. “Zelds? What’s going on?”

“...I was waiting for a car on the highway. It was nighttime and raining. The very last thing I remember….the headlights blinding me.” Hilda’s face fell and she felt her blood run cold. Lilith looked up from Zelda to meet Hilda’s gaze, shaking her head, “That’s it. Everything after that is dark.”

Hilda’s hand flew to her mouth and Zelda wailed, hauling herself to her feet and moving to the door, gripping Hilda’s wrist and shaking her slightly; “I can’t Hildy. Please. I can’t do this anymore.” Then she hurried out of the room, leaving Hilda with an increasingly distressed Lilith.

“Oh dear….oh dear dear. Lilith, dear, do you know who I am?” Hilda moved slowly to sit beside the witch.

Lilith’s eyes filled with tears as fear spread heatedly through her, “No. I’m sorry…. please...get Lucifer, he’ll be able to help me.” Hilda grimaced and took Lilith’s hand, wondering where to even begin…

### 

Having calmed down, Zelda found herself on the front porch with the tiny demoness, “Samhain is only days away, little bat. We shall hold a naming ceremony for you then. A tiny demoness witch should not go very long without a name lest Gryla find out and come to claim you for herself.” Zelda gazed down into the fang-baring grin of the babe she held in her arms, rocking her gently on the porch swing, comforting them both.

As the High Priestess offered the meat of her thumb to the babe for feeding, she tenderly stroked the peach fuzz of hair that was beginning to grow on her head. Gazing at the sharp daggers that grew out of the tips of fingers and toes, constantly snagging on the fabric of her dress, Zelda conjured two pairs of newborn socks and put them on the lamia’s hands and feet. “There you are, precious. That’s better isn’t it?”

“You’re growing so quickly, little bat. I think you need to slow down, no? We can’t keep up with you.” Wiping some of her blood off of the soft cheek, Zelda stood and moved the babe to her shoulder, lightly patting her on the back until she burped happily. “Shall we go for a little walk? I need to clear my head.”

Placing the babe on her hip, Zelda conjured a cloak for herself and wrapped it around Lilith’s daughter, keeping her snug and warm as the sun began to set and the temperature cooled. Moving away from the Mortuary, Zelda paused briefly at Lucifer’s grave and glanced down at it, “Do you know Lucifer? You have a daughter. We shall see to it that she rises in your stead to become far more powerful than you could ever dream to be.”

Moving away from the grave, she pressed a tender kiss to the top of the demon-child’s head, inhaling the sweet and spicy newborn scent; “Pray that you never meet your sire, child, for he will never be your father. He would seek to destroy you merely because you are a daughter, not a son, and because you belong to Lilith.” Thinking of Lilith caused Zelda’s heart to ache; bouncing the babe on her shoulder she walked into the woods, heading to the clearing where she’d last seen Lilith as she should be - even if it was a dream.

“Do you think your Mama knew, little bat? _...your love is the light that will guide me out of darkness..._ that’s the last thing she said to me. Do you think she knew she’d wake up with no memory of the last few months?” The tiny demoness cooed and wriggled against Zelda’s hip, patting her with sock-covered hands. Smiling, the High Priestess laid her cloak on the ground and knelt down on it, placing the babe on her back and pulling the socks off. The creature grinned, making joyful sounds as Zelda tickled her face with the socks.

The moon had been climbing into the skies as they walked and now it shone down on the baby’s wide blue-lilac eyes as she stared happily at Zelda. Wiggling her fingers in front of the baby, Zelda smiled remembering what it was like raising Sabrina and, briefly, Leticia. She enjoyed the lack of expectations children had of her, they had no idea who she was or what she signified and she felt more at ease around them. Reaching toward to trace the faint eyebrows on the babe’s face, the moon caught the hair growing on the tiny scalp; frowning, Zelda leaned forward and squinted.

“I swear...in the moonlight your hair looks….ginger?!” She sat back in surprise, if this baby grew up with ginger hair and blue eyes she would look like Zelda and Lilith’s true-born. 

Zelda Spellman couldn’t help but laugh softly at the irony; feeding little bat-demon-babe so much of her own blood over the last week must have affected her DNA. The witch had to admit she was pleased at the idea that the babe would look nothing like Lucifer. With a flick of her wrist, she transported her favourite outfit into her hand and laid it out beside the babe, unzipping the cozy fall onesie she put the demoness inside it, zipped her up, and pulled the hood over her head. The hood had little ears on either side and two white fangs in the middle with wings attached to the arms.

“There you are, little bat, all cozy and warm in your true form.” Chuckling softly, Zelda sank down to lay beside the babe, pulling her close and offering her a fresh thumb to feed on as she watched the glow of the moon. 

“A name is incredibly important...darling Shakespeare said, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet...but I tend to disagree. I was already two hundred years on this Earth when Bill wrote his first play and when we met after I attended a showing of Richard III, he tried to offer me a rose. I found his charm forced and never did accept his advances...I think he always hated me for that, and the fact that I disagreed with most things he said.” Zelda laughed, enjoying a trip down memory lane to avoid addressing the present. 

Closing her eyes, the feeling of her blood slowly draining as the babe suckled, lulling her to a half-slumber. Half awake and half asleep, Zelda Spellman began astral projecting, floating above herself and the babe. Finding herself projecting to Hell, where Sabrina sat on the throne discussing business with Asmodeus, one of the plague Kings.

“Auntie Zee!” Sabrina stood immediately and brushed past the King, running to her Aunt with her arms spread wide.

“Wait Sabrina, I’m astral projecting.” Sabrina stopped, she didn’t want to force the image away by touching it, and she could tell her Aunt was upset. 

“What is it Auntie?” Sabrina guided Zelda away from the prying eyes of Hell and into a more private area.

“I need to know that you have everything in control in Hell and that, as far as you know, Lucifer has not recruited any spies.” Zelda spoke quickly, not wanting to leave herself and the babe vulnerable in the woods for long.

“Yes Auntie, as far as I’m aware, Lucifer is too busy being tormented in the Circles of Hell to recruit anyone but that’s always a possibility so I’ve made sure that the minions supervising him are never the same. Batibat also checks in with me, she watches him when I need all the minions for Hell-business. So far, she hasn’t seen anything suspicious. Why? How is Lilith?” 

“Lilith’s given birth. We nearly lost her several times and now….she can’t remember anything that happened after Ms. Wardwell came upon her on the highway.” Zelda shuddered and swallowed back her emotions. 

Sabrina looked horrified. “So, I’m going to need you to reassure me that you have everything down here in complete control. You will not have Lilith’s guidance and I will be busy doing everything I can to help her and take care of the baby. I cannot worry about what you’re doing down here and obviously, all of this needs to remain between us just in case Lucifer has eyes in Hell.”

“Don’t worry Auntie Zee, Lilith’s taught me well. I have everything under control and I’ll keep an extremely close eye on Lucifer as well.” 

“Thank you, niece. The naming ceremony for the baby will happen on Samhain eve, I hope you’ll join us?”

Sabrina smiled, “I wouldn’t miss it, Auntie.”

With a nod, Zelda felt herself shimmering and disappearing from Hell. When she opened her eyes in the clearing of the woods, Gryla was staring down at her. Quickly, she put her palm out and yelled, “Stop right there, Gryla!” A forcefield of energy came between them like a wall.

“Oh don’t worry Zelda, I’m not here to take the babe. That little demon’s flesh is not worth it’s trouble in flavour to have the wrath of Lilith, Lucifer, and the Spellman family? No. I’m not interested in her. I came to warn you. I am not the only witch who would steal an unnamed child. There has been some speak around the birth of this demoness and forces are gathering. I fear you may have an unwelcome audience at the naming ceremony and I wanted to offer myself and the Yule Lads as protection.”

Slowly, Zelda lowered her hand and got to her feet, pulling her cloak around herself and the sleeping creature. She was at once surprised and touched at Gryla’s offer but also suspicious, “What’s in it for you, Gryla?”

Gryla chuckled. “This is the daughter of the First Woman and the Archangel of Hell, Zelda. Do you not think it wise to position myself as an ally? I predict she will rise to great heights and any who rise against her will be crushed beneath her taloned feet. Do you not agree?”

“I accept your offer, Gryla, and thank you for it. The naming ceremony will occur in this clearing on the eve of Samhain. We look forward to seeing you there - now please excuse me, I have to get this little one to bed.” Always uncomfortable around the much older witch, never quite trusting her word, Zelda turned and quickly moved away. The violent rustling of branches giving away the Yule lads presence as they hurried to follow their mother.

### 

Having put the demon-spawn to sleep, Zelda breezed into Lilith’s room, surprised by the presence of an unfamiliar witch. “Zelds, this is Dr. Penelope Black. She and I met when I was in England dealing with Ambrose, she’s a neurologist.”

Zelda raised her brow sharply as a tall, raven-haired beauty with smokey blue eyes and red lips sauntered over to her in a crisp white suit with her hand outstretched; “Please, call me Penny.” The hint of French in her British accent made Zelda’s stomach swoop, reminding her of the Parisian lover who was the first woman to break her heart.

As Zelda shook the neurologist’s hand, Hilda hurried to explain, “After I figured out what was going on, I immediately thought of Penny. She’d been studying at Oxford, graduated top of her class, when I met her. She agreed to transport herself here immediately to confirm our suspicions.” 

“Thank you Hilda. Yes. It appears that your friend has post-traumatic amnesia. It’s most common in patients who have a head injury, but it can also occur in patients who have experienced any trauma. I understand that Lilith had an emergency c-section while in a coma? That alone would be traumatic enough to cause memory loss but Hilda also tells me Lilith had experienced severe internal bleeding throughout her pregnancy and significant emotional trauma prior to that?” Penny was still holding onto Zelda’s hand, she nodded, pulling it away.

“Lilith’s entire life has been traumatic, starting with her creation.” Zelda lit a cigarette and drew deeply from it. “Did Hilda explain who she is?” 

“No, sister. I wasn’t sure if that was appropriate…” Hilda looked worried, on edge as she anticipated Zelda’s reaction.

“Of course it’s appropriate Hilda!” Zelda snapped. “If you’re going to insist on bringing in outside help, it would make sense to give Dr. Black all of the facts, would it not?” Sighing heavily, Zelda met Penelope’s gaze. “This is Lilith. The. Lilith. Not someone named Lilith. Lying here, having birthed a demon spawn, is the Mother of Demons. The Dawn of Doom. The First woman. Cursed by the False God….I-”

“I would appreciate it if you’d all stop talking about me as if I weren’t here.” Lilith growled over top of the voices, forcing her way up against the pillows and headboard. “Yes. I am THE Lilith. I have lived through countless traumas - endless and relentless, at the hands of men. And now you are telling me that trauma has caused memory loss so significant that I can’t recall giving BIRTH?!”

The trio of witches winced as they experienced a small taste of Lilith’s rage. Zelda moved to comfort her but she waved her away with a vicious snarl, her voice commanding and as cold as ice; “Bring me the child.”

Zelda didn’t like Lilith’s tone, she realized this was not the same witch and she would need to adjust her response accordingly, she straightened her back and gave her best Directrix voice, “She’s asleep. You can see her in the morning.”

Lilith ripped her IV out of her arm then swept it in front of her, the force of her magic catapulting Zelda across the room to slam against the wall. “GET. HER. NOW.”

Zelda crashed against the wall with a cry and slid down, eyes wide and struggling to breathe. Hilda rushed to her side and muttered, “Well, clearly she’s feeling better?”

Penny Black backed towards the sisters and spoke quietly, her eyes trained on Lilith; “Yes and no….behaviour and personality changes are some of the side effects of post-traumatic amnesia. Right now, Lilith is experiencing a clouded consciousness; she’s likely disoriented, disinhibited, and angry.” 

“You’re damned right I’m angry! Get me that child or so help me Satan, I will tear you all limb from bloody limb!” Lilith snarled, lifting her hand again to strike but Zelda met her with a force of her own.

“Stop. I’ll bring her.” Standing, her body aching, she went to retrieve the Devil’s spawn.

Dr. Black stepped over to Lilith, her hands raised in surrender; “We are all here to help you, Lilith, but in order to get better, you need as little stimulation as possible. It is very possible to recover from post-traumatic amnesia with the right care and attention, which the Spellman sisters are very well equipped to give you…” 

Lilith eyed the doctor warily, allowing her to come up to the bed and gently replace her IV; “Your body has been through a fair share of its own trauma, please allow it to rest and heal. According to Zelda, you should be physically able to get out of bed in the next couple of days but slowly, you haven’t used your legs in a month or so.” 

Zelda came in with the tiny demoness in her arms, asleep, and stepped up to the bed to show Lilith; “Here she is.”

Lilith looked at the cherub cheeks, the faint wisps of ginger hair poking out from her scalp, the clawed fingertips and toes, and reached forward to curl her fingers around the wrist of the Devil’s spawn, yanking her out of Zelda’s arms and holding her mid-air. Her shocked screams pierced through Zelda’s heart and both she and Hilda held their arms out; “Lilith! What are you doing?!”

Lilith glared at the tiny creature, shaking her somewhat, grimacing as she wailed, unhappy with being dangled. The Mother of Demons felt hellfire burn to the surface of her soul, reflecting scarlet in her eyes; “You’re telling me this beast is mine? How?”

Zelda licked her lips, moving forward to try to take the babe but Lilith pulled her closer, her hand sliding around to cradle her head, fingers pressing firmly against her neck. “Don’t test me witch. I am the Mother of Demons, I will not hesitate to snap its neck and give birth to yet another. How did she come to be?”

Zelda glanced at Penelope, unsure how wise it would be to launch into the lengthy and sordid history of Lilith in Greendale. Dr. Black shook her head in warning. “Lucifer sired her.” Was all Zelda replied.

Lilith purred happily and brought the screaming child to her chest. “I see...well? Where is he?”

Hilda let out a whimper and Zelda felt her heart drop but she refused to lie to Lilith. “He’s being tortured in the Nine Circles of Hell.” 

“WHAT?!” The volume and tone of Lilith’s voice seemed to both rise and fall, sounding like the most violent storm mixed with a lion’s deep roar. The room shook with the power of it, the windows shattered, and wooden furniture exploded in shards all around them. In her fury, Lilith levitated off the bed, her naked form hanging mid-air; her eyes fully red as she, once again, held the small creature by the nape of her neck, threatening to destroy her.

“She doesn’t know what she’s doing!” Penelope yelled to the Spellman sisters. “Get the baby!” Leaping forward, Dr. Black grabbed Lilith’s leg and yanked her back down to the bed. She released the baby in surprise and Hilda rushed forward to catch her, running out of the room with her. The witches grappled with one another on the bed, Lilith clawing and scratching at the doctor who managed to get on top of her. “Zelda!”

Zelda moved quickly to grab Lilith’s hands and pin her down as Penelope conjured a syringe full of sedative and jammed it into Lilith’s thigh, pressing the stopper down quickly. Within a few moments, Lilith was asleep again. Chest heaving, adrenaline pumping, Zelda leaned back and looked desperately at Penny Black; “How are we going to survive this?”

### To Be Continued...


	6. Post Traumatic Amnesia

### Post Traumatic Amnesia

With shaking hands, Hilda set a plate of almond cookies (without cyanide), cinnamon sugar donuts, and scones on the table alongside a jar of raspberry jam, homemade clotted cream, and a steaming pot of Earl Grey tea. “She bakes when she’s upset.” Zelda explained as Dr. Black’s eyebrows raised.

Zelda lit a cigarette and rubbed her temples, “We just managed to wake Lilith up from a coma, I’m really not interested in sedating her again - however, we cannot risk her harming herself or others. As we speak, Ambrose is working on boarding up the windows in her room and removing absolutely everything else. The only things available to her will be her bed. Even the medical supplies will be kept outside her room to ensure none of us end up with a needle in our necks.” She took another inhale and slowly exhaled, turning her gaze to the doctor. “Tell me, Dr. Black, what are we to do about this post traumatic amnesia?”

Penelope Black took a long sip of her tea and spread some jam on a scone, topping it with a dollop of clotted cream; “So sorry, I just absolutely love this British tradition, though I never know if the jam goes below the cream or on top of it?”

Zelda smiled, thankful for this moment of reprieve from their horrific situation; “Hildy and I never agree. I think you’ve done it correctly but…”

“The jam always goes on the top!” Hilda interrupted her, smiling nervously and grabbing a donut to snack on.

“Indeed.” Penny took a bite and licked cream from her lips under Zelda’s watchful eye. “As I mentioned, post-traumatic amnesia or PTA, can occur after a patient has been in a coma and is often brought on by head injuries but can also be triggered by emotional trauma. It’s clear that Lilith has had her fair share of trauma, both physical and emotional, it’s likely that the coma has reset her system in an attempt to bury some of that trauma. Have the past few months been particularly difficult?”

“I would say so, yes.” Zelda dunked a cookie in her tea, attempting to eat something in hopes of calming her stomach down. “So what can we do about it?”

“The severity of Lilith’s PTA and the course of action moving forward will be determined by how long the PTA lasts. Typically this amnesia lasts three to four times longer than the preceding coma - so if Lilith was in a coma for a month, it’s likely to take upwards of three to four months before we will begin to see signs of recovery. Which means that the damage will be severe and full recovery will take more than a year. She is also likely to exhibit permanent deficits in memory and cognitive function...for the rest of her life.”

The cookie fell from Zelda’s fingers and landed in her tea, splashing it all over the table but she didn’t move. Her brow furrowed deeply and she shook her head. “No. That will not do. That will not do in the least. There must be something else, Penelope! She’s just given birth to what could grow to become the Antichrist, we have plans to find the Spear of Longinus, she’s finally just become the Queen of Hell, and I…..” Zelda swallowed that she had confessed her love, feeling foolish.

Penelope Black reached over and rested her hand on Zelda’s arm comfortingly; “I am just explaining what the typical prognosis is for a patient with PTA, Zelda. What I can’t tell you is how a witch...not just a witch...will react as I have never encountered a magical patient suffering from PTA in my career.” 

Hilda scooped up Zelda’s ruined tea and replaced it with a fresh cup, “So there’s some hope then, Penny?” 

Penelope nodeed. “There’s always hope, Hilda.” She squeezed Zelda’s arm gently then pulled back to take another bite of scone. 

“And in the meantime? What do we do in the meantime?” Zelda’s cigarette burned bright as she took another drag, ashing into a nearby ashtray. 

“Treatment for PTA includes some pharmaceuticals we can try, limiting stimulation in her environment, and helping to keep her calm so that her anxiety around her disorientation doesn’t become what we saw today. To be honest, I’m out of my depth here. How can I predict the neuropsychological effects of a coma on the first woman ever created? I would assume that her biology would actually be the most likely to recover completely from this since it is unaffected by millenias of evolution but, she has also been experiencing trauma just as long.” Penelope sighed and shook her head, taking a sip of her tea. “At this point, it’s anyone’s guess.”

“Satan in Hell!” Zelda slammed her hands on the table and pushed off her stool to pace the kitchen. “That was most unhelpful.”

“Zelds…” Penelope silenced Hilda gently and stood, moving to get in Zelda’s way, grabbing her by the arms and holding her still. The High Priestess arched a brow, forced to look into Penelope’s smokey grey-blue eyes.

“I know how you feel about her.” Penny’s voice was low and her gaze empathetic. “I’m not only a neurologist, I’m telepathic. You need to take care of yourself right now, Zelda, you too have suffered trauma. Allow me to take care of Lilith’s medical needs for the time being and have hope.” 

Feeling somewhat uncomfortable by the level of intensity emitting from the other witches, Hilda interrupted; “Zelds, why don’t you look after the details of little bat’s naming ceremony? Penny can take care of Lilith, Ambrose will look after the students, and I will support wherever needed. But first, maybe a bath and a good night’s rest?”

With a plan in place, Zelda felt somewhat better, but she leaned forward and hissed softly, “I would kindly ask you to remain out of my thoughts so long as you are a guest in my home. If I want you knowing my thoughts, I will tell them to you.”

“Yes, of course. My apologies.” Penelope released the fiery witch and returned to her spot next to Hilda, finishing off her scone.

“I think I will have a bath, sister. I bid you both goodnight.” With a curt nod, Zelda turned on her heel and sauntered upstairs. 

She stopped into her room where Hilda had taken their baby demoness. “Little bat, your Mama didn’t mean it…she’s not in control of herself.” Tenderly, she stroked the babe’s cheek, her eyes filling to see the slight purple of bruising around the lamia’s neck. The babe cooed softly at Zelda’s touch, flexing her talons. “Until your Mama is herself again, I don’t think it’s safe for you here, precious.” Leaning down, she pressed a soft kiss to the devil spawn’s brow.

Running her bath, Zelda’s mind whirled with possible solutions. Samhain and the naming ceremony was two nights away, she was confident the babe would be safe until then, but if Lilith was still not herself, another solution would need to be found. Disrobing and settling into the bath, she sighed, her own bruises and scrapes aching as water cleaned them. Pouring some bubbles into the bath, Zelda lit some candles and leaned back to enjoy her solitude. 

_Lilith was wearing the same beautiful white lace gown she’d been wearing in the clearing, her long, dark mane flowing freely over her shoulders, topped by the flower crown Zelda had placed on her head. This time, Zelda couldn’t move or speak but she watched as Lilith floated over to her and she ached to reach out. As she watched, Lilith sat on the edge of the bathtub and reached out to caress Zelda’s face tenderly; “Your doctor is right, Zelda. My physical form has nearly healed but giving birth to Lucifer’s child, after all he’s done and all that has happened, broke me.”_

_The spectre of her lover dragged her hand through the water, watching it quake and move. “She’s so beautiful, isn’t she?” Another long moment passed and Zelda wished desperately that she could reach out and touch Lilith. “Have hope my darling Spellman, your love is the light that will guide me out of the darkness…” Lilith turned to walk away, her image shimmering and disappearing but just before she vanished completely, she called over her shoulder;_

_“I want you to name her Deianeira.”_

__Zelda’s eyes flew open as she uttered the meaning of the babe’s name; “Man-destroyer.”_ _


	7. The Naming Ceremony

### The Naming Ceremony

It was the morning of Samhain and Zelda had spent two days preparing for the naming ceremony. The entire coven would be present, including Sabrina and Gryla with her Yule Lads. As High Priestess, she would lead the ritual but she would need at least one blood relative present...

“How are you feeling today, Lilith?” Zelda sauntered across the room to unclip the wooden window Ambrose had installed after Lilith’s fury shattered the glass, and let the sunshine into the room. “I saw Dr. Black had you walking around the entire grounds yesterday.” The redheaded witch had found that being extremely formal succeeded in keeping Lilith calm around her, so she maintained her Directrix demeanour any time she was near the Queen of Hell.

“Yes, we did a few walks yesterday and she’s pleased with my progress. Physically, I am as fit as ever, thanks to you.” Lilith paused and caught Zelda’s eye. She was no fool, she understood the witch had feelings for her, even if she couldn’t remember why or how that had occurred. In calmer moments, she felt remorse for the anger boiling deep within her, and she wanted to offer an olive branch and make peace with the elder Spellman.

“As I’ve said, it’s been my pleasure looking after you. I did want to discuss Deianeira’s naming ceremony with you; it is tonight, as you know, and I would like to request your presence. If you feel you are capable. I’m sure you understand that the only way for your daughter to truly be safe is for her to receive her name from a blood relative.” Zelda clasped her hands in front of her, standing still and straight in front of the window. 

Lilith squinted to look at her; the light shone through like a halo around Zelda’s form and she felt a moment of panic as memories of fallen angels rushed to the surface. She winced and looked away, “But I didn’t name her, you’ve called her Deianeira.” 

Moving away from the window and over to the bed, Zelda kept her distance but waited until Lilith was looking at her before she spoke; “You came to me in a dream, Lilith. This was the name you gave her and I plan to honour that. You’ve named your daughter. Please stand with me tonight in formally welcoming her both into the World and into this coven.”

It was too much, Lilith frowned, shaking her head, her voice hollow; “I have no coven. Leave me be.”

Zelda opened her mouth to argue and the bedroom door flung open, Lilith’s dagger-edged voice a clear warning; “Leave. Now.”

Dipping her head, Zelda did as she was asked, closing the door softly behind her, pausing to rest her forehead against the door with her eyes closed. “Recovery takes time…” Penelope’s voice startled Zelda and she spun around.

“We don’t have time! The naming ceremony is tonight and if Lilith doesn’t show up, we cannot complete the blood rite needed to sanctify the ritual!” Infuriated and having no time for Dr. Black’s reasonable rationale, the High Priestess marched past her without another word.

### 

The clearing in Greendale Woods had been transformed for Samhain eve. Thousands of black taper candles suspended in the air around the clearing, shining brightly along with the moon. Pillar candles sat in copper bowls on top of logs throughout the clearing, and there was an abundance of deep purple lotus flowers floating in copper bowls of water to signify new beginnings. Myrrh resin was being burned at the entrance of the circle for purification, and rosemary was thrown into the bonfire for new beginnings. The entire clearing was a magical circle inviting guests in and keeping unwanted intruders out.

In the North for Earth, a raw smoky quartz amethyst fashioned into a sharp-tipped pentagon and standing six feet tall cleared the area of any negativity and welcomed guests into the circle. In the South for Fire, a massive bonfire crackled, reaching up to the Skies, protecting the borders of the circle and deterring any unwanted guests. A murder of crows perched high in the trees to the East, representing Air and signifying destiny and personal transformation. To the West, for Water, stood a copper baptismal font with the demon of protection, Pazuzu’s, sigil etched into it. Finally, in the center, stood an altar dedicated to Lilith; as the Queen of Hell, the coven prayed to her and so she would be honoured as their Goddess, Queen, and Mother of the babe being named. The altar was a tall slate table covered in black candles, an athame, copper goblet, blessing oil, large owl feather, and the skull of a snake. Zelda Spellman, clothed in the shimmering silver robes of a High Priestess and wearing a deer antler circlet, stood before the altar to welcome her guests inside with palms open and at her side. 

The coven lined up within the circle, quiet observers on the outskirts and a handful of demons from Hell, accompanying Sabrina, gathered opposite the coven as Sabrina kissed her Aunt on the cheek and stood to the right of the altar as the blood relative the ritual would need if Lilith did not appear. Gryla and the Yule Lads swept into the circle next, settling directly across from the altar should they be needed as protection. Finally, Ambrose and Hilda followed, placing the tiny demoness in her bassinet upon the altar and settling to the left. 

Zelda watched the entrance, aching to see Lilith coming down the path. Allowing her mind to open, she reached out telepathically to the witch doctor; “Penelope...are you bringing Lilith?”

With no answer forthcoming, Zelda had to assume that Lilith was being a challenge for the neurologist. The moon was high in the skies, the ritual could wait no longer. Holding the athame, High Priestess Spellman walked clockwise around the outer periphery of the clearing, casting the circle; “We are a circle within a circle, no beginning, and never ending.” 

Standing in the north, Zelda raised her hands, pointing the athame to the sky and speaking loudly for all to hear, “Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North, under the hellish protection of the demon Pazuzu and beneath the watchful eye of the interim Queen of Hell, I do summon, stir and call you up, to witness these rites and guard this circle. I bid you Hail and Welcome!” 

The crowd joined in: “Hail and Welcome!”

Moving to the east, Zelda raised her hands, pointing the athame to the sky and speaking loudly for all to hear, “Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East, under the hellish protection of the demon Pazuzu and beneath the watchful eye of the interim Queen of Hell, I do summon, stir and call you up, to witness these rites and guard this circle. I bid you Hail and Welcome!” 

The crowd joined in: “Hail and Welcome!”

The High Priestess continued to call the corners until she’d called all four, then she returned to the center altar where the Devil’s spawn slept peacefully, bundled in a black cloth. Gently pulling the little lamia from the bassinet, she laid her on the altar and raised her hands above her, speaking to the crowd; “ We gather today to bless a child, a new life that has become part of our world. We gather today to name this child. To call a thing by name is to give it power, and so today we shall give this child a gift. We will welcome her into our hearts and lives and bless her with a name of her own.”

Hiding behind a large sycamore, Lilith watched the naming ceremony begin. Her eyes trailing slowly over each guest, not recognizing any save for the handful of demons that had come from Hell. Feeling panic bubbling in her chest, she closed her eyes against the flickering candlelight, the roaring fire, the smiling faces, the complex emotions so clearly portrayed by Zelda’s expressions, and her responsibilities as Mother to this being she didn’t remember birthing. 

“Here Lilith...this will help.” Penelope Black covered Lilith’s eyes with a blindfold and tied it tight. She’d lost the dark haired witch when she suggested they go to the ceremony. Lilith had run from the house and it had taken the doctor hours to find her. “Can I take you in?”

Lilith backed up and shook her head, Penelope kept her voice low and calm; “One day your memories will return to you, and you will want to bear witness to your daughter’s naming ceremony. You deserve to be there. She deserves to have you there. This night marks the beginning of our transformation as women. Because of you we will no longer be held prisoner by men.”

Lilith reached out for Penny Black’s hand and nodded, “All right. Take me in.”

Penelope walked Lilith carefully through the forest, around the circle, and to the entrance, calling to Zelda. “High Priestess, we ask for entry!” 

Whipping around, Zelda met Penelope’s gaze with immense gratitude as she saw Lilith on the tall witch’s arm. Moving to the entrance with her athame, Zelda broke the circle long enough for the pair to enter, watching them move to the center altar, and then closed it again. The blindfold kept Lilith calm as Penelope placed her next to Sabrina, guiding her hand to the altar to keep her in place before she moved back to stand with the coven. 

Stepping back to the altar, Zelda didn’t see the malevolent force that snuck into the circle behind the witches nor did she see as it hid itself amongst the trees, biding its time. The High Priestess reached out and covered Lilith’s hand with her own, raising them both to the skies; “Here stands Lilith, Mother of Demons, First Woman, Dawn of Doom. The vessel that carried this child and suffered to birth her, but from fear and agony comes greatness!”

Zelda leaned forward and whispered to Lilith, “May I place the babe in your arms? Once she is there, I can complete the naming ritual and bind her to you.”

Lilith turned her face towards the voice and murmured with uncertainty, “Yes. But if I truly am her mother, then I would also like you to bind her to yourself. For then, barring whatever happens to me, she will always have a mother in you.” 

Zelda’s felt her heart ache at the graciousness of Lilith’s request, “Of course, my Queen.” Forgetting herself, she fell back into old patterns of familiarity with the witch. “I agree that is wise. It was you who named her in my dreams, so please, will you do so now?”

Picking up the little creature, she placed her in Lilith’s arms. Holding tight to the creature who began to squirm awake, Lilith raised her voice; “Coven, demons, witches, and Guardians. Out of fear and agony comes greatness - my daughter’s name shall evoke fear in the hearts of men and it will grant her power to rise up against any who oppose her. In her we shall see the fall of all that we once knew in order to make way for that which we have always known.”

The witches lowered to bended knee, honouring their Queen and her successor. The demons hissed in excitement as Lilith Zelda poured the anointing oil into the copper chalice, sliding the athame across her palm and dripping her blood into the cup, then reaching out to do the same to Lilith’s palm. Blood and oil mixed, creating a powerful bond. Zelda stirred the mixture with the owl feather, evoking the spirit of the owl, bringer of wisdom and change. Then she pulled a fat little leg out from the cloth and pierced it with her athame, wincing as the babe shrieked into the night, catching a droplet of blood in the chalice and stirring it in. Then she dipped her finger in and drew a pentagram on the squirming babe’s torso, who quieted immediately. 

“I’m going to touch you, Lilith.” Zelda quietly murmured, then reached out to pull at the shoulders of Lilith’s black velvet gown. The deep neckline allowed the shoulders to fall down her arms and bare more of her skin so Zelda could trace the same pentagram just below her collarbones.

Blindfolded, Lilith’s senses were both subdued and heightened, so when Zelda touched her she felt it keenly. Memories of that touch shimmered just outside of her grasp, feeling both familiar and foreign. The emotion they evoked made her eyes water beneath the fabric covering them and she leaned into the other witch’s touch. As Zelda finished tracing the pentagram, she noticed the subtle movement of Lilith leaning towards her and she took that as permission to give into her desires, reaching up to tenderly caress her cheek. “Now, you must bind me to you both.”

“Remove my blindfold, Zelda.”

Hesitating, the High Priestess glanced over at Penelope Black for reassurance and heard a voice in her head, “Do what she says, she is more likely to remain calm if she feels like she’s in control.” With a nod, Zelda reached up and undid the blindfold.

Blinking into the firelight, Lilith kept her focus on Zelda as she reached out to dip a finger in the blood and oil mixture. Reaching up behind her to the zipper of her own gown, Zelda pulled it down and allowed her dress to fall, standing naked save for her High Priestess cloak, as a symbol of her subservience to Lilith. A grand and significant gesture. The image of Zelda’s lithe frame before her made Lilith quake, those shimmering memories pressing against the clouded barrier of her mind, aching to break through and blossom. As she reached out to trace a pentagram across Zelda’s chest, Lilith felt the panic rise again knowing that she was unable to unlock those memories, even as she felt them so near. She fought through the rising bile in her throat, locking eyes with Zelda, “I bind you by serpents and snakes, I bind you by Hell’s fiery gates. What’s mine is yours, until our path detours.” 

Zelda took the hand that anointed her and bowed over it, pressing a kiss to Lilith’s fingers. “My Queen, you bind me as guardian of this child and I honour you with the promise to fulfill those duties for as long as I am living as those present here now are my witness.” Then she poured the chalice of blood and oil over the serpent skull, walking to the fire and tossing it in as an offering. 

The coven, demons, and Spellmans all cried, “Hail Lilith!”

“Now bound as guardians and caregivers to this child, we present her name. A name that translates directly to ‘man-destroyer’ for we foresee greatness in her and with this name, she shall rise to meet it.” Zelda moved back to Lilith and nodded for the Mother of Demons to announce the name of her demoness.

Lifting the lamia into the air, tilting her head back to look at her daughter, Lilith’s voice rose above the crackling of the flames; “You are known to the ancients and us as Daeianeria, man destroyer! This is your name and it is powerful. Bear your name with honour, my daughter, and may you the ancients bless you on this day and every day henceforth.” 

Lilith placed Daeianeria on the altar and she squirmed and giggled, swiping at the air with her sharp talons, her eyes trailing on the floating candles surrounding her. As she looked down on the child, the Mother of Demons felt the grip of panic close around her heart, squeezing it - intellectually she understood the child belonged to her but she didn’t recognize her, didn’t remember giving birth to her, and now she was responsible for her. Slowly she began to sink to the ground, gasping for breath. Penelope Black quickly broke from the audience and hurried to her patient, kneeling beside her and moving to replace the blindfold, talking softly to her.

With Zelda’s focus broken, Abyzou took that moment to fly down from the trees and snatch the babe. A demon created for companionship, Lilith had deliberately cursed Abyzou with infertility to ensure that her position as Mother of Demons could never be challenged. When Lucifer fell to Earth, Lilith tossed Abyzou aside in favour of male companionship and in her envy, Abyzou became the bringer of miscarriages and infant mortality. 

Flying high above the rest on wings made from the bones of the children she’d slaughtered, the revengeful demoness cackled, dangling Daeianeria by her ankle and soaring over the bonfire, “No one move or the child falls.” 

Hearing the familiar voice, Lilith tore her blindfold off and got to her feet, her panic attack immediately quelled by the recognition of the demoness and her understanding of the severity of Daeianeria’s situation. Throwing her hands in the air, Lilith began to chant in ancient Hebrew, directing her rage and grief at Abyzou and evoking the fires of Hell. The bonfire responded, growing bigger at first and then extinguishing entirely. The flames swallowed by the Earth, traveling beneath it, the ground getting warm beneath their feet until it burst free in the woods outside of the circle. The wildfire spread rapidly, devouring every twig and branch, every log and trunk until Greendale Woods was entirely up in flames. 

The demons from Hell hissed and growled at Abyzou and the coven looked to Zelda for guidance; “Gryla! NOW!” Gryla released all thirteen of her invisible Yule Lads who climbed into the trees and proceeded to jump onto Abyzou, hanging off of her boney wings like monkeys in trees, the weight of them dragging her down slowly. 

Zelda turned to the coven as her hands rose in the direction of the demon, “A banishing spell! Tergente fuoco quod evoco. Te exigo!” 

The coven repeated the spell, their hands raised to Abyzou, “Tergente fuoco quod evoco. Te exigo!” They continued to chant alongside the High Priestess as Lilith marched into the center of the circle where the Yule Lads were dragging Abyzou down.

Along with the sight of a familiar enemy, Daeianeria’s screams aggravated the Queen of Hell further and as she reached her daughter she snarled and grabbed a hold of her arm; “Release what is not yours Abyzou, as I never was, as children never will be, you are no match for who is present here.” Abyzou held fast and Lilith leaned closer, “I will not hesitate to tear this child’s limbs from her body. I am the Mother of Demons. I will just birth another.”

Zelda’s blood froze and she looked wildly at Penelope for guidance, she quickly heard it vibrating in her mind, “When she’s triggered, she reverts back to her pre-Greendale self. She forgets who Daeianeria truly is and she lacks compassion because she’s watched her demon-children suffer and be murdered over and over. This personification of Lilith is the PTA clouding her judgement and truth. The babe isn’t safe.”

Zelda broke from the coven whose banishing spell was subduing the demon enough that the Yule lads could hold on and keep her on the ground. She grabbed Lilith’s wrist and tried to pry her fingers from around the baby’s arm, “Let go, Lilith!” 

Lilith brought her free hand up with a snarl and, with demon force, backhanded Zelda whose head snapped back and she fell on the ground, stars dancing in her vision. The fire raged outside the circle, causing the witches to sweat, the flames pressing against the invisible barrier keeping them safe as long as the circle was closed. Zelda whimpered with the decision she would have to make…

“Coven! Transport yourselves back to the Academy! Gryla, get the baby! Spellmans, on Lilith!” As the witches disappeared, Zelda leapt from the ground and joined Ambrose, Hilda, and Sabrina in physically piling on top of Lilith. The force of their bodies slamming into hers shook the babe’s arm from her grasp, giving Gryla and the Yule Lads the opportunity to overpower Abyzou and steal the baby from her as Zelda screamed, “RUN!”

Breaking the circle, Gryla used her telekinesis to create a pathway through the fire for herself, Daeianeria, and her lads, disappearing into the night. The circle broken, the fire quickly descended onto Abyzou, fueled by Lilith’s anger. As the demon screamed and writhed, Zelda watched the fire continue to devour the space around them and she muttered a banishing spell that forced Ambrose, Hilda, Sabrina, and Penelope back to the Spellman Mortuary. When she tried to do the same to Lilith, she couldn’t, the Dawn of Doom’s rage was too focused on seeing Abyzou destroyed even if it meant sacrificing herself. Watching the reflection of the flames grow in Lilith’s icy blue eyes, clouded by madness, Zelda made a heart wrenching decision; not wanting to leave her little bat without anyone, the High Priestess transported herself back to the Mortuary just as the flames swallowed the clearing up whole.

### To Be Continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're interested in learning more about Abyzou: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abyzou


	8. Phoenix Rising

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love the comments - thanks so much!

### Phoenix Rising

Reappearing in the Mortuary’s salon, ash smudges on her face, her cloak singed, her lip bleeding where Lilith had backhanded her, Zelda collapsed to the floor and let out an anguished scream. Haunted by the image of the flames swallowing Lilith and Gryla running off with Daeianeria, Zelda pressed her cheek to the persian rug and felt her heart explode. She was sobbing violently when Hilda, Ambrose, and Dr. Penelope Black rushed into the room. Hilda knelt beside her sister, patting her back and offering her Kleenex which she pushed away, gasping for breath through her choked sobs. Ambrose looked uncomfortable as Zelda’s body shook and she moved to her knees, struggling to breathe, then leaned forward with her palms on the ground and her head between her arms. Hilda grimaced and looked to Penelope for help.

“Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth.” Penelope knelt down and tried to get Zelda to look at her but she was in full blown panic. 

Desperate for some relief, feeling like she was choking or drowning or dying, the High Priestess shed her cloak, kneeling naked in the salon too focused on trying to breathe properly to care about improprieties. Then she stood and started to pace, gasping, tears streaming down her face. Hilda and Ambrose stood helpless as Penelope continued to coach Zelda through, “You’re having a panic attack, Zelda. It will pass. You’re not dying.” 

Zelda finally looked at her in that moment, took a deep breath, then rushed out of the room. Yanking open the powder room door, she dove to the ground and retched into the toilet. Penelope Black stood in front of the door and waved at Hilda, “Perhaps some tea would do us all some good?” Hilda hurried to the kitchen with Ambrose following; they weren’t used to seeing Zelda in such a state.

Holding Zelda’s hair back, the doctor crouched behind her and lightly rubbed her back; “That’s it, let it all out. You’ve been through Hell, Zelda, you’re feeling your feelings.” 

Flushing the toilet, Zelda stood shakily and scooped a handful of water from the sink into her mouth, spitting it out and swiping a towel across her face. Looking at Penelope’s reflection over her shoulder, tears continuing to fall, her voice quivered, “What if they’re both dead?” Then she hung her head and her shoulders shook as she cried in earnest, with more control but with just as much heartbreak. 

“We don’t have any answers right now.” Dr. Black spoke quietly, her hand a reassuring presence on Zelda’s shoulder. “Let’s take this one step at a time. I believe the first step would be a shower and then maybe a cup of tea?” Zelda nodded and allowed Penelope to guide her upstairs.

Zelda went through the motions of showering, washing the remnants of the fire’s flames from her body, feeling every ache in her heart as if it were a broken bone. She let the water mix with her tears so that she no longer knew which was which, until she literally had no more tears to cry. Getting out of the shower, she stared at herself in the mirror and felt like a shadow of who she was; sucking the bruised and split lip into her mouth, she closed her eyes and relished the feeling of pain caused by her love. In some way, she was comforted by the dull ache and taste of iron in her mouth. 

The redheaded witch dressed in a golden nightgown and Japanese silk robe, moving stiffly and feeling disassociated from the experience of existing. The heartache faded away to nothingness as she walked down to oblige in sharing tea with her family and Dr. Black, the taste of chamomile not even registering as she refused to process the conversation around finding Gryla and the baby. She knew how possible it was that both Lilith and her baby were dead - she watched the flames surround Lilith and trusting Gryla had been a last resort but there was no guarantee the ancient Islandic witch would return the child. 

“I’m going to bed.” Her voice sounded hollow as if it didn’t belong to her and without meeting anyone’s gaze, Zelda Spellman floated out of the kitchen and up to her bedroom. 

“Penny….” Hilda watched her sister leave the room and turned to her friend. “What are we going to do?”

“Zelda wasn’t prepared for what happened tonight and she’s struggling to process it all. She’s wading through grief, confusion, anger, and heartache. Give her time.” Penelope patted Hilda’s hand softly and excused herself to bed.

### 

Zelda Spellman didn’t get out of bed for three days. Hilda’s fretting and fussing didn’t motivate her to budge, she refused all food including all of Hilda’s stress baking, and she refused to discuss a plan of action with Ambrose. The only person she would talk to was Penelope Black, the witch who knew nothing about who she was prior to loving Lilith and therefore, could not possibly lose any respect for the mess she’d become. It was easier to be vulnerable with a stranger than it was with her loved ones; she had always been the pillar, the leader, the matriarch - in control and in charge. It would be difficult to command that same respect if she was pitied. It was Dr. Black’s job to observe behaviour and make recommendations, not judge her for falling in love with the Dawn of Doom.

On the fourth day, Zelda threw off the covers and got out of bed. In the shower she visualized white light surrounding herself, chasing away the black clouds of depression, as she scrubbed she lifted even more black from her, and then watched as the white light chased it down the drain, letting the shower renew and refresh her. Clothing herself in a black dress with buttons leading up to a severe white collar, adorned with multiple strings of pearls, Zelda finally felt somewhat like herself. Smoothing her copper tresses across her forehead, she lit a cigarette, took a long inhale, exhaled, and left the room.

“Good morning Ambrose, Hilda....” With a nod, Zelda attempted to gloss over her emotional reaction from days ago with severe formalities. “I’ll be going to Hell today.”

“But Auntie Zee, what about the baby?” Ambrose spread marmalade on his toast and looked up at her.

“We know Gryla has the baby and if she hasn’t killed her by now, then she’s relatively safe and we can look for her once I have answers about Lilith.” Zelda was about to turn on her heel and leave when Hilda grabbed her gently by the wrist.

“You haven’t eaten in three days Zelds, please have some toast or an egg at least.” Guiding the High Priestess to a stool, Hilda put buttered toast and a hard boiled egg in front of her.

Crushing her cigarette into an ashtray and taking a bite out of the toast, Zelda realized she was famished and she quickly finished off every last crumb. She was pouring herself a second cup of tea when Penelope sauntered into the kitchen, dressed in her white suit, and slid onto a seat, “I’m sorry to say, I have to return to England, my patients cannot wait any longer.” 

Zelda felt a slight twinge of panic at the idea of the doctor leaving as she had come to rely on her steady presence, as she glanced over at her she heard Penny’s soft voice in her mind, “Now that you’ve let me into your mind, Zelda, I can speak to you any time no matter where I am but you can do this. Allow yourself to be vulnerable in moments when you feel safe, give your family the benefit of the doubt and the opportunity to support you.” Penny Black smiled softly, holding Zelda’s gaze, as she nibbled on her toast. 

“Thank you so very much for coming, Penny, I know how busy you are. We all appreciate your time and expertise. You’ve helped us more than you could ever know.” Hilda reached out and patted Penelope’s hand affectionately. “Will you transport this morning then and get home in time for dinner?” 

Dr. Penelope Black nodded, “Yes, I will be leaving forthwith, after breakfast.”

Zelda cleared her throat, “I can never repay you for what you’ve done for me and my family, Penelope, but please know that if you ever need anything the Spellmans will be right there to help you.”

“I appreciate that Zelda. It’s been my pleasure.” Finishing off her tea, Penny rose slowly and moved around the room to lightly press a friendly farewell peck to everyone’s cheek. When she got to Zelda, she paused and whispered softly in her ear, “Trust your instincts, Zelda. Lilith told you your love would lead her out of darkness.”

Zelda threw her arms around Penelope’s neck and stood as she hugged her fiercely, “Thank you, truly.” Releasing the doctor, Zelda watched emotionally as Penny took a step back, murmured a transportation spell, and vanished from their kitchen. Wiping her eyes, Zelda turned to her family; “And thank you, too. I have to do this next part alone but I know I can count on you both if needed.” 

Zelda Spellman left the Mortuary for Greendale Woods, needing to see the aftermath with her own eyes. Making her way through the forest, Zelda’s eyes watered at the stench of burnt wood, and she held her hand up to her nose with a grimace. The ground ran warm, a reminder of the horrific fire only days earlier. As she stepped into the clearing, the redheaded witch felt her heart clench as her eyes befell the ruin of what should have been a beautiful naming ceremony. The slate altar, amethyst, and copper pieces strewn about were all that remained of their ritual. Zelda’s eyes fell on the tiny demoness’ bassinet, melted and burned, and she felt bile rise in her throat. Looking away, she closed her eyes and practiced the grounding exercise that Dr. Black had taught her. As she walked through the piles of ash, she was met with a small mound of bones. Zelda convinced herself it was the remains of the demon Abyzou and not Lilith. Being that there was only one pile of remains, she allowed herself to believe Lilith was still alive and a hint of hope swelled within her. A glint of metal caught her eye and she reached down to brush soot and ash off of her athame, tucking it up her sleeve, she moved toward the mines and the Gates of Hell.

The Gates of Hell swung open to welcome Zelda into the fiery Inferno. Sauntering in, her chin held high as she looked for her niece, the interim Queen of Hell, calling out for her; “Sabri-....” The name caught in her throat as she found herself staring at a sight that she struggled to process. 

Sabrina was stripped naked and chained to the foot of the throne, lash marks oozing blood across her back, and Lucifer sat on the throne of Hell, a satisfied smirk curling his lips at the corners, “Welcome back, High Priestess Spellman.”

### To Be Continued...


	9. All the Good Girls Go to Hell

### All the Good Girls Go to Hell

“Where is Lilith?” Zelda Spellman tried to keep her voice from wavering but she was reeling from the shock of seeing Lucifer on the throne. She and Lilith had meticulously crafted a plan to capture both Lucifer and Blackwood, their bodies trapped in Damascus steel coffins deep within graves in the Spellman’s cemetery, and their spirits banished to the Nine Circles of Hell to be tormented by Batibat for the rest of eternity.

“Ah well, my darling Lilith finally came to her senses and realized that I am the only true ruler of Hell. She’s freed me from the Circles of Hell and restored me to my rightful place.” Lucifer’s teeth dripped with blood and his horns and hooves shone in the firelight, his mortal body was still trapped in the coffin, and so he could present himself as nothing less than the Beast he truly was. 

The battle with Abyzou, a demon Lilith had ancient history with, had further exasperated Lilith’s fugue state and as the woods burned to the ground, the Queen of Hell had remembered that Lucifer was somewhere in the Nine Circles of Hell. Zelda shuddered, she had been the one to tell Lilith about Lucifer but she hasn’t explained the body buried in the cemetery and because Lilith couldn’t remember anything about her time in Greendale, she didn’t know to free him from the coffin. Zelda understood that the Dark Lord’s powers would be split between his form in Hell and his body in the ground and he would not gain full power until both had been reunited. 

“I want to see my daughter.” The Dark Lord snarled at Zelda.

The redheaded witch’s eyes flickered to Sabrina, whom she was trying to ignore lest Lucifer use her to get back at Zelda. “I don’t have her.”

The Dark Lord roared, springing to his feet and rushed upon Zelda, crushing her throat with his clawed hand; “Where is she?!”

Feeling for her athame, Zelda let the blade slide down into the palm of her hand as she shook her head, “I….the demon Abyzou….” Hearing a familiar name, knowing the history between Lilith and Abyzou, Lucifer lightened his grip. “...she stole the babe on the night of her naming ceremony. I was coming to find Lilith so that we could go search for her.”

With another roar, Lucifer tossed Zelda to the ground and she slid into Sabrina. Grabbing hold of her niece’s hand, she passed the athame to her while she blocked Lucifer’s view of her and hissed, “Pry your locks.” 

“That insufferable cretin. She’s always been jealous of me, claiming I stole Lilith from her.” Lucifer’s hooves clomped noisily as he paced across from the witches. “She will use the child as bait, wanting to kill her in front of Lilith’s eyes. Well, won’t she be surprised to get a visit from me?” With a snort, Lucifer turned his beady black eyes to Zelda and she stiffened, reaching behind her to still Sabrina. “Where is she, witch?!”

Shaking her head, Zelda put her hands in front of her in surrender, “I don’t know, Lucifer. She stole the babe right from the altar and flew into the skies. I was hoping Lilith would have an idea of where she took the baby.”

“Ahh...well, I do. I’ll deal with you when I return.” With a lazy wave of his gnarled hand, Zelda found herself collared to the foot of the throne alongside Sabrina. She feigned surprise, her hands flying to her neck, but in fact she was surprised he hadn’t murdered her on sight. Clearly, he had more nefarious plans for her. 

Once she was certain he was gone, Zelda spun around to face Sabrina; “Did you pick the lock?”

Triumphant, Sabrina lifted her wrists and her shackles fell to the ground. Wincing at the pain from her whip-marks, she moved slowly and began to pick at Zelda’s lock, both witches muttering incantations that would quicken the process. Both free, Zelda conjured a cloak for Sabrina and pulled her into a motherly embrace; “Are you okay?”

Sabrina rested her head on her aunt’s shoulder with a sigh of relief. “Yes Auntie, Lucifer wanted to use torturing me as punishment for you. You walked right into his plan. Luckily, his daughter is the perfect distraction. So Abyzou got away with Daeianeria, then?”

Zelda chuckled softly, “No, she didn’t. Abyzou was destroyed in the fire and Gryla has her but I assumed my lie would bide us some time. Do you know where Lilith is?”

Sabrina looked sorrowful as she pulled back to look at her aunt, “I’m so sorry Auntie. She’s somewhere in the Nine Circles of Hell.” 

A pained expression crossed Zelda’s face as she closed her eyes against the truth. She had witnessed Lucifer banishing Lilith to the Circles of Hell once before, she had held the Dawn of Doom’s hand while she struggled to survive, and in the end, it had cost Zelda her life. She felt Sabrina’s hand on her arm, “I can go, Auntie?”

“No. No, you can’t Sabrina. Lilith is lost in her own mind, who knows how she will react to being thrown into the Circles of Hell or to anyone trying to save her from them. No. I don’t need anything or anyone else to worry about, please Sabrina, promise me you will go straight home and stay there.”

“But Auntie Zee...the last time you were there, it killed you.” Sabrina’s eyes filled with tears as she clung to her aunt, hesitant to let her go.

“Have faith Sabrina. Lilith came to me in a dream and told me my love is the light that will guide her out of the darkness. No one is dying this time.” Zelda Spellman kissed her niece’s cheek and hugged her tightly, “Now go niece.” 

Watching Sabrina disappear, Zelda hurried out of the throne room and into a nearby alcove where she pressed her palms together and turned them upside down, calling for Pazuzu, the demon they’d invoked during the naming ceremony to protect the heir of Hell. With a hiss and the sound of nails dragging along a chalkboard, he appeared from the shadows. 

“I need you to take me to the Circles of Hell, demon.” With a glare and a nod, recognizing her as Guardian of his future Mistress, he led the way through the weaving tunnels of Hell, descending into the bowels of the Netherworld and deeper into the Inferno.

### 

The last time Zelda had travelled to the Circles of Hell, she had been travelling back in time to learn more about Lilith to see if she could trust her, and in doing so Zelda had found herself trapped in the ice lake of the Ninth Circle where she died of hypothermia. Entering the First Circle, memories of her brief visit to this realm of Hell triggered her own post-traumatic stress disorder and she took a moment to guide herself through Dr. Black’s grounding exercise before proceeding. 

Pazuzu made to leave but she held out her hand to stop him. “No. I need you here. If you truly care about seeing Daeianeria rise to rule, you will be my guide. Take me to Lilith.” When the demon acquiesced, she smiled and sent her gratitude to Penelope Black who had taught her to recognize when she needed help, how to ask for it, and how to accept it.

Once again, Zelda was led through the first four circles to the Fifth Circle of Hell - Wrath. Her first experience of Wrath had her witnessing Lilith being hung from above the River Styx and dunked into the crowd of Wrathful, horrifying creatures, that drowned her and then released her relentlessly. And now the familiar stench of the rotting river made her gag, the sight of the Wrathful’s hollowed out eye sockets made her retch, as she looked desperately for Lilith’s flailing limbs in the water below. 

Pazuzu frowned, “Last I heard, High Priestess, Lilith was here. If she is not, then we must move on…” He motioned to the writhing Wrathful bobbing in the water. “....through there.”

Zelda grimaced, looking at the slick, oily surface of the water, crawling with Wrathful; “In the river?”

The demon nodded and held out his hand, “It’s the only way through to the next circle, mistress.”

The reality of her situation was just one more nightmare she had to live through; at this point, Zelda Spellman had enough of feeling her feelings and she steeled herself against whatever was to come. Her commitment to finding Lilith and bringing her back to herself was far stronger than any fear, any sorrow, or any heartbreak she could suffer through. Reaching out, she took the demon’s hand and together they jumped into the River Styx. 

As the freezing cold water rushed into her lungs and she felt the death grip of the Wrathful around her ankles, pulling her down into the water, Zelda thought only of Lilith. The weeks leading up to the discovery that Daeianeria was not a son but a daughter, were some of the best weeks Zelda had ever experienced. The witches had spent quiet moments together on Lilith’s balcony at the Spellman Mortuary, drinking coffee, reading newspapers, and complaining about Sabrina. They had spent nights passionately exploring the line between pleasure and pain, dominance and submission, mastery and surrender. It was Lilith’s strength that Zelda had fallen in love with first but it was her vulnerability that kept Zelda there, in that unrelenting limbo of fresh love where the ache never fully dissipated. When she’d told Lilith she loved her and the Queen of Hell fell silent, it stung. Zelda yearned to be told she was loved by Lilith; that she was also seen as strong enough to admire and yet vulnerable enough to protect. 

Just as the world was going hazy, Zelda felt a sharp tug on her arm and Pazuzu pulled her free from the river and the grip of the Wrathful. Coughing and sputtering, spitting out gobs of hair and hunks of rotting flesh, Zelda’s stomach churned. Straightening, she recognized the Sixth Circle and gasped with enlightenment; “Of course! Heresy. This is where Lilith will be since she committed heresy against Lucifer!”

Smoothing her hand across her brow in frustration, Zelda looked upon hundreds of flaming tombs - Lilith could be in any one of these. Kneeling on the ground, Zelda took a few deep breaths and stilled her mind reaching out past the fires of Hell, through the Earth, across an ocean….to Dr. Penelope Black. _Help me._ It felt like hours passed before she felt the familiar shadow in her mind and heard the doctor’s voice; “What is it, Zelda?”

_I’m in the Sixth Circle of Hell - Heresy - I’m in front of hundreds of flaming tombs and I think Lilith is in one of them. Can you reach out and see if you can sense her? Tell her to make enough noise for me to find her?_

Slowly opening her eyes, Zelda held her breath and waited, pressing her palms together beneath her chin and resting her face against them. Her dark green eyes open wide, scanning the tombs before them for a sign of her love. Idly, she chewed on the spot on her lip that had been split and bruised by Lilith’s anger, her entire body tense with anticipation. Time passed and Pazuzu put his hand on her shoulder, “We will have to go soon, mistress. If Lucifer finds you here, you’ll end up in one of those.” 

“A few more minutes…” _Please Penny._ Zelda thought desperately, slowly getting to her feet and craning her neck to watch across the tombs.

Suddenly her feet were moving and she was running down the aisles towards a tomb whose flames had suddenly extinguished and then reignited, “LILITH!”

Pazuzu sped along behind her, snarling as some of the minions of Hell tried to deter them from getting close to the tomb. Split between fearing Lucifer and wanting to see Lilith on the throne, Hell’s minions were halfheartedly attempting to thwart their progress but mostly they just watched. Zelda grasped the tomb, trying to find a way in until Pazuzu gently but firmly shoved her to the side and used demon strength to pull the lid off. 

Zelda swallowed a sob to see Lilith’s crumpled form in the tomb; her lover’s face marred by cuts and large purple bruises, her body limp and lifeless, but her chest rose and fell proving she was alive. Pazuzu grabbed the witch and together, he and Zelda rushed out of the Sixth Circle. Once free from the power of the Circles of Hell, Zelda was able to transport herself and Lilith out of Hell; thanking Pazuzu for his help and ensuring that he would warn them when Lucifer discovered Zelda’s lie.

Back at the Mortuary, Ambrose helped carry Lilith back up to her room then left the witches alone. Zelda took a moment to thank Penelope Black once again for her help, then tenderly began to wipe at Lilith’s face with a warm cloth. The dark haired witch moaned softly, her lashes fluttering, wincing as the cloth touched her wounds. Zelda reached out to brush the Dawn of Doom’s hair off of her face and watched with anticipation as her brilliant blue eyes opened, blinking in the light of the room. 

Those blues registered the room she was in and who was sitting beside her, clearing her throat, her lips parted and she whispered softly...“Zelds?”


	10. Heaven on Earth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If this chapter is everything you ever wanted, feel free to comment and tell me so.  
> xo

### Heaven on Earth

“Lily?” Zelda Spellman didn’t dare breathe or hope that Lilith was as lucid as she appeared to be.

Wincing as she moved, Lilith slowly pushed herself to a sitting position and swung her legs off the bed and onto the floor. Sitting beside Zelda, the Mother of Demons pressed her palms into her thighs as her body began to shake. One hand lifted to her mouth in horror as her eyes filled with tears and suddenly, her body was sliding off of the bed and onto the floor. Twisting as she landed, she threw her arms around Zelda’s waist and her head in the witch’s lap as she began to sob, “Oh Zelda….I remember everything. Oh Satan no….no no no.”

Zelda felt her own eyes moisten both with gratitude to have her lover back and with grief at what Lilith was about to experience. Bowing over the witch in her lap, she relished in the feeling of being able to press a kiss to her head, smooth the hair from her face, hold her. She wanted to be closer so she pushed and shoved in order to meet Lilith on the floor, wrapping her arms viciously around the sobbing witch, and holding her tight as if she were about to disappear. Her own quiet tears wetting the dark hair beneath her as she felt Lilith squeeze her tightly.

“Zelds….” Lilith’s voice cracked into an anguished moan and she pulled back to look Zelda in the eye. “...can you ever forgive me? Ohhhh….how could you ever forgive me??” Lilith fell back onto Zelda, sobs racked her slight frame violently as she became overwhelmed with the severity of the events that had occurred over the last few weeks. 

“Hush Lilith, you never intended to cause any harm.” Zelda purred tenderly, petting the witch in her lap and letting the grief wash over her, thankful to have Lilith back. “Come with me…”

Helping Lilith to her feet, Zelda took her lover’s hand and led her into the bathroom. Turning the taps to release water into the bathtub, the redheaded witch sprinkled dried lavender, bergamot essential oil, and some epsom salts into the water. A snap of her fingers extinguished the lights and lit the candles around the room, their flames illuminating the space around the bath as they levitated into the air above the witches. Turning to Lilith, Zelda gently began to pull the singed and melted black velvet from her skin, realizing the depths of her injuries and using magic as well as force to pull fabric from flesh. Tears snuck quietly from beneath Lilith’s closed eyes, traveling down her cheeks and trembling at her chin where Zelda softly kissed them away. The touch of the High Priestess’ lips against her face made Lilith tremble, such a juxtaposition of softness compared to the Dark Lord’s violence.

Bit by bit, Zelda removed Lilith’s dress, wincing at the scars and raw flesh the fire in the clearing at left behind. She hadn’t realized she was crying until Lilith reached out and wiped at her tears, “Don’t worry my darling, the scars will heal quickly. Pain is temporary.” 

Zelda bit her tongue until she tasted blood. She wanted to cry and scream about how unfair Lucifer’s treatment of Lilith has been over millennia, she wanted to rage on about revenge and retribution, she wanted to burn Hell to the ground and wreak havoc on any and all souls who have caused her love harm. But right now, it was more important to focus on healing and gaining strength, Lilith’s road to recovery was nowhere near complete and she would need Zelda’s strength. The High Priestess also had to come to terms with her own trauma and vulnerability, seeking to heal herself before she could be an effective weapon in the fight against the Dark Lord. Now was a time for rest and restoration.

The Mother of Demons stepped out of what was left of her gown and into the bathtub, sinking into its depths, as Zelda stirred the water with her fingers and murmured a spell of protection; “Aegir of the rolling sea, keep your watchful eyes on she. Protect her with your precious salt, and keep her far from harm and fault.” 

Lilith marveled at the way Zelda loved her. Her memories were still clouded in thick fog but they were present, like watching a film through a windshield during a thunderstorm. This witch had told her she loved her and Lilith hadn’t been able to respond the same and yet, she was being cared for, catered to, saved multiple times. Long ago she told the Dark Lord she was not worthy of his love but that, she was beginning to realize, was nothing like love - that was ownership and possession. Here was a witch who wanted nothing more than to support Lilith’s true self and take only what was freely given to her. In the many millennia in which Lilith had survived, never had she been loved like this. It was as unfamiliar as an unmarked road in the dark and yet all she wanted to do was travel down it. 

“Come in here with me?” Lilith reached out to caress Zelda’s face softly.

Zelda allowed a devilish smile to dance across her lips as she stood and unzipped her dress, happy to rid herself of the River Styx-soaked fabric, wiggling her hips as she shimmied out of her under garments and walked out of her heels. She was about to take off her strings of pearls when Lilith raised her hand, stopping her; “Let me look at you.” 

Letting out a soft gasp at Lilith’s request, Zelda’s hands fell lightly to her sides, goosebumps trailing along her flesh in the wake of her lover’s gaze. The candlelight shimmering across her alabaster skin lit her up like a goddess effigy. Tilting her head slightly, she smiled and reached up to run her fingers slowly across her pearls, then down between her breasts, pausing to tease a nipple with the pad of her thumb. Even as she was being told what to do, Zelda was clearly in control of herself. She dragged her other hand up her body, digging her nails in slightly to leave thin scratch marks behind, sliding up to cup her breast, then moving to her mouth where she sucked on her finger. 

Lilith raised an amused eyebrow and motioned with a spinning finger, “Turn around.”

With a cheeky grin, Zelda spun slowly, her hands falling down to caress her swaying hips and sweep under the curve of her ass. Lilith purred softly, satisfied with her visual feast, biting her lip as she leaned back into the water. The redheaded witch swung around to face her Queen once more, moving to sit on the side of the tub with crossed legs and a saucy smirk, “Like what you see?”

Chuckling softly, Lilith’s hand fell to Zelda’s knee and slowly she pushed the redhead’s legs apart, purring; “Of course I do.” Sitting up in the bath, the dark haired demoness slid her hand up Zelda’s thigh, forcing them further apart with a sly smile.

Parting her thighs, Zelda reached behind her to grasp the edge of the bathtub and steady herself, her head fell back and her eyes closed as she tilted her hips towards Lilith wantonly. Leaning further forward, Lilith’s hand explored between those parted thighs, her fingers stroking at their apex. Watching as Zelda’s chest heaved and her shoulders shook, Lilith’s fingers dove in and she smiled at the guttural moan that escaped from her redheaded lover. Just as Zelda’s breath began to quicked, Lilith pulled back and watched with amusement as her High Priestess’s head snapped up and she glared.

“That’s….not…..nice…..Lily!” Zelda gasped, swinging her legs around into the bathtub, about to sink into the water but Lilith moved quickly, grabbing her hips and holding her steady on the edge.

“Now, who would I be if I were...nice?” She growled as she slid around in the tub and knelt between Zelda’s thighs, nibbling a path from ivory inner thigh to the space her fingers just left. 

“Ohhhh….” Zelda bit down on her lip as her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she gripped the edge of the tub fiercely. A clear reminder of the demon within, Lilith’s tongue had Zelda squirming and writhing, her feet kicking water onto the bathroom floor as she ground her hips downwards. 

As Zelda’s body began to quake, Lilith pulled back with a vicious grin, “Beg, witch.”

The High Priestess slammed her thighs together with a growl of frustration, her green eyes blazing as she grabbed the back of Lilith’s head, sinking her hand into the dark hair and pulling the demoness up out of the water to her mouth. Kissing her deeply, sliding her tongue along that torturous tool in Lilith’s mouth, she pulled back slightly to whimper against her Queen’s mouth; “Please, my Queen, may I…?”

Lilith’s brilliant blues shone with satisfaction, “Yes, my pet, you may.” As Zelda opened her legs, the Queen of Hell lowered herself between them and finished what she started, groaning with pleasure as she felt her lover’s release and heard her cry out. 

Mewling and gasping, Zelda sank into the bathtub with a half-lidded gaze, opening her arms to indicate she wanted Lilith in her embrace. With a grin, Lilith leaned forward to nibble on Zelda’s jawbone playfully, then sank into the redhead’s embrace, snuggling close. The candles blazed brightly, dancing around them as the witches held each other - in that moment nothing mattered - the past, present, and the future were all on pause while they appreciated this long awaited moment together. 

After some time, Lilith shivered, “The water’s gone cold.”

“Mmm...let me help you with that.” Zelda gently shoved her Queen to the other side of the bath, moving on top of her and reaching up to grasp a floating candle above them with a wicked glint in her eye. 

Holding Lilith’s blue-eyed gaze with her own emeralds, she tipped the candle and dripped wax onto her lover’s shoulder. Shifting, she slid her knee between Lilith’s thighs and pushed upwards, the water parting to offer the Dawn of Doom’s chest to Zelda’s sinful pleasures. More wax dripped from above, slow _drip...drops…_ landing on her collarbone, the swell of her breast, and a pert nipple. Lilith groaned and tipped her head back, wiggling on Zelda’s knee as she arched her back and offered more of her flesh. With a purred grin, her eyes shimmering, Zelda’s hand waved in the air and pulled nine levitating candles above them, adding the one in her hand to make ten. As gracefully as a conductor guiding an orchestra, Zelda raised both hands and moved them in the air, the candles taking turns to dip and twist, the drops of wax building up in speed as they landed their burning kiss to Lilith’s flesh. 

“...you’re not being very...nice...either, pet.” Lilith growled, meeting the High Priestess’ gaze as she ground down on her knee, riding it to her own selfish delight. Zelda pressed her knee firmly against Lilith’s center as her hands waved and danced in the air, commanding the candles to do her wicked bidding. The Queen of Hell’s head snapping back as her growl deepened and released in a roar, dramatically extinguishing the candles above them.

Zelda’s hands floated down to trace the wax dotted along Lilith’s chest with a cheeky grin and when Lilith tried to sit up, she shoved her back and flung her arm out, her athame flying into her hand; “Please….this is the best part.” Relaxing back into the bath, Lilith watched as Zelda rose above her, and allowed her to sink her left hand into the hair at the nape of her neck, holding her tightly and whispering, “You need to keep very still.”

Closing her eyes, Lilith felt the cool tip of the blade drag down her cheekbone and nick at her jaw which was immediately remedied by Zelda’s tongue lapping at tiny pinprick of blood and gnawing gently at her jaw bone. The athame was then guided down her neck, followed by the High Priestess’ kisses, pausing at her collarbone where the wax began. Tightening her fist in Lilith’s hair, smiling as the demoness growl-purred, Zelda pressed the flat of the blade against flesh and dragged it downwards, pulling wax from skin. Lilith squirmed as the sensation of wax pulling at her skin was somewhat uncomfortable but the warmth that spread behind it was a welcome delight. Zelda watched as Lilith’s skin reddened and she toyed with the tip of the blade, digging in somewhat and watching her lover’s face for any indication that she might protest. 

The demoness purred and arched her back towards the knife blade, “Hurt me, High Priestess.” Consent given - begged for - Zelda put pressure on the blade and sliced a line across Lilith’s breast, then paused and waited. “...more….please.” Lilith had always enjoyed pain with her pleasure but it had never been given with her consent and she was relishing in being in control even as she was beneath the blade. As the first line began to bead with blood, Zelda sliced another longer line, dipping forward to press a tender kiss to Lilith’s neck as she waited for…..

”More please….” Lilith moaned breathlessly.

“Only one more, my Queen.” She finalized her drawing with one last line exactly like the first then leaned back to look at her work, a small ‘Z’ carved into the skin directly above Lilith’s heart. Then Zelda cut along the feeding scar on the bottom of her thumb from Lilith’s lamia, Daeianeria, and let three drops of blood fall onto the wound. “And now….you belong to me.” 

Slowly Lilith opened her eyes and looked down at her brand, arching a brow, “Zelda Spellman, did you just perform blood magic and a binding spell on me?”

“Not a binding spell, no. Never again will you be bound to another without your consent - certainly not to me. The brand will disappear if that is what you want. I only want you here if you want to be here and until you want to be here. Be that for now or forever.” Zelda shocked herself with her candor but she realized she would never be able to lead the life she wanted if she wasn’t vulnerable. 

The Dawn of Doom, Mother of Demons, true Ruler of Hell, and First Woman looked at this beautiful, strong, fiercely protective, and intelligent witch offering of herself. A witch who had suffered Hell multiple times for her, who had cared for her even when she was being abused by her, who fed for her demon spawn with her own blood, who believed ferociously in Lilith’s worth, and who valued Lilith just as she was. Lilith reached up and touched the ‘Z’ on her breast in awe at the purity of Zelda’s love. Then she felt it - love - this is what it is supposed to feel like and her whole body glowed as warmth flooded it. 

Reaching forward, she took Zelda’s hand and fell into the depths of those emerald eyes, feeling the sentiment pour out of her, less a question and more a breathless command; “Marry me.”

### To Be Continued...


	11. A Wicked Proposal

### A Wicked Proposal

The ring was surprisingly dainty for how horrific it was. Harkening back to the Stone Age when cave people would wear the teeth of their kill around their neck with pride, Lilith had unearthed Blackwood’s grave, pulled one of his molars out (with *great* pleasure), and buried him again. The tooth had then been carved into the delicate likeness of a tiny skull and threaded onto an iron band forged in the fires of Hell and inscribed with an ancient Hebrew script - תקוותי - meaning _My Hope_.

“Lily...I don’t want to offend you but….Blackwood’s tooth?” Zelda hesitated, her hand in midair towards accepting the ring. 

It was the middle of the night following Lilith’s bathtub proposal-cum-demand and the witches stood in the Greendale Woods clearing, creating a rebirth where there was nothing but ruin. After Zelda had enthusiastically accepted, she had raised concerns about what their union would mean for Daeianeria. Lilith assured her that the baby demoness would be even safer with united guardians by her side, strengthening Zelda’s relationship with her and positioning her even more clearly as the babe’s parent over Lucifer. In fact, it would serve to further protect the demon-child from her sire. Reaching out to Penny Black, Zelda was able to confirm through the doctor that Daeianeria was still safe with Gryla and that, as far as Penelope could tell, the Dark Lord was far from their trail still searching for Abyzou. They had time to enjoy their bliss.

“Yes Zelds, Blackwood’s tooth. Not only does it signify your triumph over evil, it is a clear warning to any of your enemies that you are not to be trifled with. It is a visual representation of your strength and perseverance. It will protect you by proving you can protect yourself and it is my promise to you, that I honour your strength and your power - and vow never to take it for granted. I stand beside you, not in front of you. We are stronger standing together as equals than we ever were apart.” Lilith traced the Hebrew script on the band. “Finally, the concept of hope in ancient Hebrew tradition is about real anticipation of something better, something you truly believe is coming. _Tikvati_ \- My Hope. That is what you are to me - my something better - and I truly believe I will be better because of you.”

Deeply touched, Zelda Spellman felt every bone in her body melt and it was all she could do to stay standing as she looked at the witch before her, professing not just love but admiration and respect, with eyes full of tears. “Well…in that case...” 

Zelda opened her left hand to reveal a ring forged from gold, in the shape of a kite the entire length of Lilith’s finger from her first to second knuckle. A smaller quadrilateral in the center was flanked by a row of small diamonds starting with black and becoming lighter as they reached the razor sharp tip in a brilliant clear diamond. The center stone was an ombre of black to white, the texture reminiscent of a starburst, being contained in a glass case.

“I accept your vow, my Queen, and gift you this ring with my own. Traditionally, a quadrilateral bears religious significance with its four quadrants denoting certain spiritual relevance but I intend for us to bring our own meaning to it - The Past apart, The Present together, The Future unknown, and Our Union which is influenced by and has influenced all of the other quadrants. By committing to ourselves first we honour our partnership to each other and, in doing so, we are offered endless possibilities. Endless joy.” Zelda fingered the center stone pensively, holding Lilith’s gaze. “The center stone is filled with the ashes of Lucifer’s broken wing, a piece of bone I picked up on my travels through your life, to remind you that he has no power over you any longer. He is nothing but a fallen angel turned to stardust in your palm. There is beauty in your journey with him because it brought you to me. Etched inside the band is another reminder - _Non Desistas Non Exieris._ ”

“Never give up, never surrender - in Latin. Essentially what you told me in the Seventh Circle of Hell when I was ready to give up.” Lilith shook her head slightly at the meaning behind Zelda’s ring to her, equally as significant as her own. 

“Yes and there is one more thing. You have become familiar with the feeling of suspicion, of needing to be constantly looking over your shoulder, of being unable to trust the ones closest to you. I never want you to doubt my place in your heart or at your feet. The tip of this ring was dipped in poison, should you ever question my place with you, you need only prick me with that poisoned tip. And, should you ever be in danger, it is my gift of protection to you - a weapon no villain would suspect.” 

Lilith lost herself in the green of her High Priestess’ eyes, wondering if Zelda understood the significance of what she was giving her. Created as the First Woman and enslaved to a narcissistic fallen angel throughout her entire life, Lilith would have moments of doubt. Traumatized for millenia, there would likely come a time when she would second guess Zelda’s intentions because her past had led her to believe no one was trustworthy. Even though she had told Zelda that her love would lead her through the darkness, the future was uncertain and at her core, she was a demon still. In this partnership, Zelda was taking the biggest risk and she was willing to do so without fear.

“I accept your vow, also. May I have your right hand?” As witches, the lovers did not honour any other traditions but their own. In placing the rings on their right hand, middle finger, they were acknowledging their vows while also asserting their autonomy. These rings did not symbolize possession but allegiance.

Zelda felt her heart jump to her throat as she extended her right hand and accepted the ring on her middle finger. “And yours, please?” She smiled joyfully, her eyes shining as she gazed upon her love and slid the ring on Lilith’s right hand. 

The moment the rings settled in place, time seemed to stop, everything stilled around them, and they were the only two beings on the planet. Moving into the space between them, the pair of witches entangled themselves with one another, their arms snaking around hips and waists as heads tilted and lips met. Their union, sealed with a kiss, was a supernatural atom bomb exploding from within the circle of their embrace and reverberating outwards. The trees shimmied as the ground shook beneath them and the rubble, ashes, and scorched earth was blown away - leaving fresh grass, trees, and foliage in its wake. A true rebirth of the clearing, heralding their new beginning. 

With a gasp, they pulled apart and looked around in awe, Zelda was the first to speak, “Well, I believe this bodes well for us.” Her eyes shone as she pulled herself under Lilith’s arm.

“Indeed, we must be a good omen.” Pulling her High Priestess closer, Lilith kissed the top of her head with a grin. “Let’s go home, witch.”

### 

Back in the Spellman Mortuary’s salon with celebratory drinks in hand, Zelda kicked off her ever-present heels and shoved her feet onto Lilith’s lap. Arching her brow and scrunching up her nose, Lilith waved them away but Zelda insisted, wiggling her toes; “This is part of the deal now. Fair it fair. You rub my feet….I help you kill Lucifer. Equity.” 

Taking a sip of her bourbon neat before setting it on the side table to free up her hands for her lover’s feet, Lilith frowned softly. “I know you’ve told me our daughter is safe, but the details of the last few weeks are still very hazy so I will have to defer to you in this matter.” Her fingers laced over the top of Zelda’s foot and she dug her thumbs into the arch of her foot, making the redhead’s eyes roll back into her head as she purred. “What do you think is best, love, shall we find Daeianeria first or the Spear of Longinus?” 

Groaning, her eyes closed, Zelda purred her response; “Do you remember Dr. Black? She was the one who told us you had post traumatic amnesia and helped me through terrible panic attacks brought on by your condition.”

“Vaguely, yes. Why?” Lilith lifted one of Zelda’s feet and kissed her ankle softly, eliciting a soft _mmm_ from her.

“She is telepathic and has the ability to sense the thoughts of others, leading to more information about their whereabouts and what they’re doing. I’ve been in contact consistently since she went back to England and she feels that Gryla means to keep Daeianeria safe. She’s nearly as old as you, my Queen, so I believe she has the means to do so. Once Lucifer realizes I lied about Abyzou, he will go back to Hell and find us gone, and then the first place he will look for us is here. Our tiny demoness is not safe with us until we have dealt with him.” Zelda straightened in her chair, pulling her feet back and onto the floor, taking a long sip from her drink and lighting a cigarette to calm her nerves at the thought of leaving Daeianeria with Gryla any longer than necessary but the alternative was far worse. 

“Then we must have our partnership witnessed before the coven and the hordes of Hell to strengthen our union and after the ceremony, we will begin our search for the Spear of Longinus. I hate to leave our lamia too long but I agree this is the best plan to ensure her safety.” Lilith reached forward and grabbed Zelda’s ankle and pulled her feet back into her lap, “Fret not pet, let’s just enjoy these moments together in relative calm while we have them.”

With the fire blazing and the moon high in the sky, the Queen of Hell pulled her betrothed closer. Dipping her head to nibble at Zelda’s ankle, kissing the top of her foot, and traveling slowly up her shin, her fingers kneading the High Priestess’ calf as she dotted lingering kisses to her knee. Zelda leaned back in her chair and moved to the edge of her seat, giving her lover more access to her leg as she closed her eyes and focused on this very moment. Reaching down, she pulled her skirt up over her hips and hooked her thumbs under the waistband of her lingerie, pushing it downwards.

“Oh? Why let me help you….” The Dawn of Doom smiled as she leaned forward and grabbed the lace fabric with her teeth, slowly dragging it down over Zelda’s knees then letting it fall to pool around her ankles. 

Quickly, Zelda stood and stepped out of her panties, kicking them to the side as desire took over and she pressed herself to Lilith, forcing the other witch back into her seat as she straddled her lap. “Please Lily…” Overcome, Zelda whispered hotly in her lover’s ear as she grabbed Lilith’s hand and led it between her legs, “....fuck me.” 

Growling at Zelda’s wantonness, Lilith yanked her hand away from her and stood instead, using her demon-strength to pick the redhead up and march her across the room to the desk. Dramatically sweeping it clean of its contents, she laid Zelda on it and snapped her fingers; immediately, rope appeared in her fist. She grabbed the witch’s wrists, crossing them above Zelda’s head, Lilith tied them together then thread the end of the rope under the desk and tied it to one of the High Priestess’ ankles. Zelda pretended to struggle but the smile on her face was wide and she arched her back, wiggling her hips enticingly. 

Another snap of her fingers and Lilith was holding a riding crop, slapping her palm with it as she sauntered slowly around Zelda. “I’m sorry pet, what did you say?” Dragging the crop across Zelda’s cheek then raising it and bringing it down sharply on Zelda’s inner thigh.

Zelda yelped and purred in response, “Fuck me?”

The Queen of Hell watched the sweet welt raise on her lover’s near-translucent skin, “Now, now….is that really how you ask?” Another smack landed on the top of Zelda’s thigh and then three lighter ones on her inner thigh again.

Zelda groaned and writhed, trying to both get away from the crop and move towards it, confused by her own desires; “Please. Please? Please fuck me.” Straining against the rope, Zelda managed to roll on the desk, grinning as she landed with her bare ass in the air. She was able to get her free leg under her and she raised her hips in the air, wiggling her ass towards Lilith’s crop.

Lilith couldn’t help but laugh at her industrious pet, enjoying the view offered to her and landing a handful of smacks to Zelda’s undulating backside, “Graceful, my love...and yes, you know how it pleases me when you beg.”

The Mother of Demons littered Zelda’s ivory skin with bright red welts to the sound of her moans then tossed the crop aside in favour of her hand. Caressing the welts with her fingertips, Lilith cupped the tender space just beneath the curve of Zelda’s ass and purred, “Are you getting frustrated, pet? You begged so nicely and yet I haven’t done as you asked.”

Zelda’s hips swayed and her ass shimmied beneath Lilith’s hand, “No, my Queen. I am yours to do with as you wish.” 

Lilith’s hand connected with Zelda’s thigh with such force the redhead grunted and arched her back, moving away from the spanking for a moment and then pressing back to offer her flesh again. “Please may I have another?”

Pleased, the demoness obliged and a flurry of spanks led to a rosy, throbbing backside. Easing the pain with a soft caress, Lilith released the rope from Zelda’s ankle and pulled her off the desk until her feet touched the floor, bending her over it. Kicking the High Priestess feet apart widely, her hand slipped between Zelda’s thighs and she leaned against her, hissing in her ear, “Do you want to cum, pet?”

Zelda whimpered, grinding down on Lilith’s hand and throwing her head back, straining to see her captor; “Yessss…..my Queen. Please….may I?”

Not responding, Lilith’s fingers moved quickly and her teeth sank into Zelda’s shoulder flesh, adding some pain to the pleasure as Zelda groaned through gritted teeth, her hips moving desperately. “Please...Lily…. _please_.” 

Smiling with her mouth full of shoulder flesh and muscle, she released her jaw and purred softly into Zelda’s ear, “Now!” 

Zelda’s body shook on command as she let out a loud moan, her fingers clenching and spreading to scratch at the top of her desk. As her racing heart slowed, the redhead slammed her hand on the desk, pushed herself up and spun around, sneaking her bound hands up and around Lilith’s neck, trapping her within her embrace and kissing her deeply. Then she wiggled out of the embrace, hopping off the desk and beckoned Lilith to join her upstairs.

“Do you want me to untie you, brat?” Lilith chuckled as Zelda pranced away happily.

“Oh no, I’m going to bed like this!” Zelda disappeared out of the salon and headed towards the stairs.

“Well that means I’ll have to cut off your clothes…” Lilith called after her.

“Oh….what a shame!” Sarcasm dripped from her words as Zelda laughed and trotted up the stairs, Lilith following close behind, playfully smacking her on the ass on their way up. Their laughter bringing joy into the Spellman house for the first time in months.

### The End.........For Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic was meant to mainly be about the pregnancy and what happened to Lilith's daughter so I consider this one finished now but the series will continue and there is much more to come including:
> 
> \- A WEDDING  
> \- Quest for the Spear of Longinus  
> \- Getting the baby back  
> \- Dealing with Blackwood
> 
> ...and whatever else I haven't thought up yet! So follow this account and keep checking for more!  
> xo


End file.
